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WEDGWOOD AND HIS 
IMITATORS 




Homeric Vase. British Museum. 

Frontispiece. 



COLLECTOR'S HANDBOOKS 



WEDGWOOD 

AND HIS IMITATORS 



BY 
N. HUDSON MOORE 

AUTHOR OF "the LACE BOOK," "tHE OLD CHINA BOOK," 

"the OLD FURNITURE BOOK," " OLD PEWTER, BRASS 

AND COPPER," " DELFTWARE, DUTCH 

AND ENGLISH," ETC. 

With^Q Half-tone Engra-vings from Photographs 




NEW YORK 

FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 



Copyright, 1909, by 
Frederick A. Stokes Company 



All Rights Reser'ued 



September, IQOQ 



C<* 2^7 30 
SEP 9 7909 






^ PREFACE 

^ To lovers of the beautiful and to discriminating collect- 

ors, the Art of Wedgwood has ever appealed. But for 
many years, indeed, till the last quarter of the XlXth cen- 
tury, the world at large has been content to pass by speci- 
mens of his basal tes and jasper, distracted by more florid 
wares. 

Then once again, we waked to the distinguished beauty 
of those works sent out from Etruria and Burslem. Little 
by little the prices have risen as buyers became more plenty. 
Mr. John Wills, a well-known English collector of *' Old 
Wedgwood," particularly the basaltes and jasper produc- 
tions, sent his entire collection to this country for sale in 
February, 1908. 

In many cases the prices obtained at this sale have been 
noted here for the benefit of owners and purchasers. There 
is much " Old Wedgwood " in the United States ; in Canada 
many large sets, both printed and painted, are still carefully 
preserved, while correspondents in Mexico speak of much 
that has been gathered there. 

Most museums both in Europe and America contain speci- 
mens of the " period of perfection," for the benefit of 
students. The fullest written record of the work of this 
great potter, is contained in Miss Meteyard's " Life and 
Works of Wedgwood," and her " Handbook of Wedgwood 
Ware," both of which have been consulted frequently in 
the preparation of this book. Reference is due " English 
Earthenware and Stoneware," by William Burton ; " Staf- 
fordshire Pots and Potters," by the Rhead Brothers, " Jo- 

.V . i 



PREFACE 

siah Wedgwood," by Prof. A. H. Church, " Guide to Pot- 
tery and Porcelain," issued by the British Museum, " Life 
of Wedgwood," by Samuel Smiles. 

Thanks for photographs are extended to Josiah Wedg- 
wood and Sons, Etruria; "The Connoisseur," British 
Museum, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and several private 
collectors. 



VI 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 



JosiAH Wedgwood i 

List of Materials Invented or Perfected by 

Wedgwood 17 

Useful and Ornamental Wares 18 

^ Green-Glazed Ware 24 

^-' Mottled, Marbled, or Agate Ware .... 29 

Cream-Colo ured Ware — " Queen's Ware " . 32 

^ Basaltes 41 

Busts in Basaltes 51 

^ Jasper Ware • , . . . 54 

Bas-Reliefs and Tablets 63 

List OF " Illustrious Moderns " 71 

Rosso-Antico 77 

Cane-Coloured Ware 78 

Lustre — Pearl Ware 79 

Mortars and Pestles 82 

Marks on Wedgwood 83 

William Adams 84 

The Warburtons 90 

John Voyez 95 

vii 



CONTENTS 

Henry Palmer, John Neale 99 

John Turner . 102 

" Wedgwood & Co." 106 

J. LocKETT 109 

Daniel Steel no 

John Aynsley im 



vm 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



Plate i . . . 

- Apotheosis of Homer. 

Plate 2 . . . 

Fig. I. Green Glaze Image. 

" 2. Cauliflower Teapot. 

" 3. Pineapple Teapot. 

" 4. Pineapple Mould. 

Plate 3 . . . 

Fig. 5. " Surface Agate " Flower Pot. 

" 6. 

" 7. 



Frontispiece. ^' 
Facing page 14. 



Facing page 32. 



Russian service. 

Covered Dish, Cream Coloured Ware. 



Plate 4 . . . . Facing page 36. 

Fig. 8. Cream-Coloured Ware, painted and printed. 

" 9. Orange Basket. 

" 10. Lozenge-cut Flower Pot. 

" II. Candlesticks, Tea Caddy, cup and saucer. 



Plate 5 . . . 

Fig. 12. Basaltes Tea Service. 
" 13. Basaltes Vase. 
" 14 Basaltes Vases. 

Plate 6 . . 1. 

Fig. 15. Josiah Wedgwood. 
" 16. A Vestal; George Whitfield. 
" 17. Cameos mounted in Gold. 

Plate 7 . . . 

Fjg. 18. Cameos. 
" 19. Black and White Jasper Vase. 
" 20. Black and White Jasper. 



Facing page 42. 



Facing page 46. 



, Facing page 5<5. 



^ 



X ILLUSTRATIONS 

Plate 8 .... Facing page 5S. 

Fig. 21. Marriage of Cupid and Psyche. 
" 22. Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides. 
" 23. Choice of Hercules. 

Plate 9 . . . . Facing page 60. 

Fig. 24. Apotheosis of Virgil. 

" 25. Barberini Vase. 

" 26. Rosso Antico. 

" 27. Cane-Coloured Ware. A 

Plate 10 . . > . Facing page So. 

Fig. 28. Lustre Candlesticks. 
" 29. Gold Lustre Ware. 
" 30. Mortar and Pestle. 

Plate ii . . . . Facing page 84. 

Fig. 31. Wine Coolers. 
*' 32. Adams Jasper Ware. 
" 33. Adams Jasper, Wedgwood Basaltes. 

Plate 12 . . . . Facing page 88. 

Fig. 34. Adams Jasper. 
" 35' Jasper Vase; marked Adams and Wedgwood. 
" 36. Cream-Coloured Ware, marked Warburton. 

Plate 13 . . . . Facing page g2. 

Fig. 37. Cream-Coloured Figures, marked Warburton. 

" 38. Jasper Vase, marked Voyez. 

" 39. Tablet, marked J. Voyez. 

" 41. Jasper Ware — Turner. 

Plate 14 . . . .: Facing page 100. 

Fig. 40. Jasper Ware, Neale & Co. 

" 42. Jasper Ware, marked Turner. 

" 43. Salad Dish or Tray, " Wedgwood & Co." 

" 44. Wedgwood & Co. 

Plate 15 . . . :• Facing page 108. 

Fig. 45. Jasper Ware, J. Lockett. 
" 46. Jasper Ware, marked Steel. 
" 47. Cream Ware, John Aynsley. 



fi " With respect to myself there is nothing relating to 
usiness I so much wish for as being released from these 
degrading slavish chains, these mean, selfish fears of other 
people copying my work — how many new and good things 
has, and still does, this selfish principle prevent my bring- 
ing to light? I have always wished to be released from 
ft, and was I now free, I am persuaded that It would 
do me much good in body and more in mind, and that my 
invention wod. so far from.' being exhausted by giving a 
free loose to it that it wod. increase greatly. . . 
Dare you step forth my dear friend and associate, and share 
the risque and honour of acting on these enlarged prin- 
ciples ? " 

— ^W. to B. — 1769. 



JOSIAH WEDGWOOD 

b 1 730-1 795 

EFORE treating of the various wares invented, 
perfected and subsequently manufactured by this 
eminent man, a short sketch of his life seems fit- 
ting. During the period of his business activity, 
I75i-I795> be produced so many and such varied articles 
of use and beauty, that he seems to have crowded into these 
brief years, forty-four, the vitality and activity which might 
cover twice that period. 

He was the youngest child of Thomas and Mary Wedg- 
wood, and was born in Burslem, England, July, 1730. The 
exact date of his birth is uncertain, but it must have been 
early in the month, since the date of his baptism is July 
1 2th. It was inevitable that he should have been a potter 
as were his father and grandfather before him, his relatives 
on both his mother's and father's side having followed that 
art. 

His childhood was passed in a comfortable home, and his 
education progressed in a school at Newcastle, to which 
he made a daily journey, though it was seven miles distant 
from his home at Burslem. When the little boy Josiah was 
nine years old, his father died. Though a fair amount of 
property was left for the support of the widow and children, 
Josiah was taken from school and set to work learning that 
branch of the potter's trade known as a " thrower." 

When he was about twelve, that terrible scourge of those 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

days, small-pox, swept through Burslem and attacked many 
members of the Wedgwood family. None of them suffered 
so severely as Josiah, who rose from his bed with a diseased 
right knee which was a constant source of pain and discom- 
fort, till many years later, when he had it amputated. 

The recovery from the small-pox was slow, but when he 
was something more than fourteen years old, in November, 
1744, he was apprenticed to his elder brother Thomas, Ar 
a term of five years, his previous work, apparently counting 
in reducing the term of apprenticeship from the usual seven 
years. 

The indenture was worded in the form which obtained 
at the time, and though it was often disregarded both in the 
spirit and the letter, it was at least in the case of Josiah 
Wedgwood exactly lived up to. For two years, notwith- 
standing the pain he suffered in his leg, he still occupied his 
position as thrower, his correct eye being a valuable asset 
in the work of making teapots, pitchers, cups and bowls, as 
well as round dishes like tureens, which were commonly 
known at that time as " terrines." 

At the end of this time, and when Josiah was sixteen, 
he found that in order to give himself any ease at all he 
must sit at his work with his leg stretched before him on a 
bench. Under these circumstances his attention was now 
turned to moulding and to experimenting in the manufacture 
of small wares, the varying of the imitations of tortoise- 
shell and agate wares which were so largely used in knife 
handles, snuff-boxes, small teapots and pitchers. 

The nature of the lad was painstaking and accurate; his 
work in clays, in mixing materials and making glazes, 
brought into his brother's works more attention to detail 
than had hitherto been observed. Towards the end of his 
apprenticeship he manifested his desire to be taken into part- 

2 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

nership, but his brother Thomas, who showed none of the 
genius of Josiah, was quite content to follow along the old 
lines laid down by his father, distrusted the spirit of advance 
evidenced by Josiah, and was not willing to take him into the 
business. 

Thrown thus on his own resources, he left Burslem and 
went into business at what was known as the Cliff Bank 
Pottery, near Stoke, with Thomas Alders and John Harri- 
son. This was in 1751. The wares made at the Cliff 
Bank works were the ordinary mottled and marbled wares, 
with tea sets of " scratched " blue, and black Egyptian. So 
admirable were the articles made in these simple materials 
by the young potter, that the sales increased largely, and 
Alders and Harrison seeing the benefit which would accrue, 
drove Josiah to the limit of his powers, without increasing 
the stipend at which they had engaged him, nor providing 
him with proper materials with which to work. 

Of course such treatment was not to be borne any longer 
than he could help, and at the end of about a year he left 
them, his second partnership being formed with Thomas 
Whieldon at Fenton. 

Some years before, by 1740, Whieldon had started a 
small pot-works where he made mottled and marbled ware, 
cottage ornaments, black Egyptian, tortoise-shell plates, tea- 
pots and candle sticks, many of them in melon, pine-apple 
and cauliflower designs. Whieldon was like Wedgwood in 
regard to the accuracy and method observed in his work, 
and he employed the best modellers to be had to make 
models for his wares, one of them being Aaron Wood, well- 
known for his skill in this line. 

The connection between Whieldon and Wedgwood com- 
menced about 1752, though the deed of partnership was not 
signed till 1754, ^^^ so good was Josiah 's reputation for 

3 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

skill at this time, that it was specified in the agreement that 
the results of his secret experiments need not be imparted 
to others. The first few months of this new partnership 
were spent by him in getting his designs in order and in 
making models for use in the works. 

His first achievement was in the improvement of a green 
ware, moulded in the form of fruits, leaves and flowers 
and covered with a glaze of extreme glossiness and beauty. 
The old formula for glaze, lead, flint and water, did not 
produce the result desired by Wedgw^ood, who was always 
striving for something better, and who never hesitated to 
use plenty of work and the best materials for his purpose. 
Objects in this brilliant green ware became exceedingly 
popular and the demand was great. As Wedgwood went 
on improving the forms and the materials, the product of 
the pottery increased in importance. 

Exceedingly choice little articles were turned out, but- 
tons and boxes, principally for snuff, which were set in 
metal mounts in Birmingham, made a large business item. 
Little figures and teapots like those shown in Figures 2 
and 3 were part of the output of this period, though Wedg- 
wood made these after he had left Whieldon, as moulds 
which were recently found at Etruria prove. 

In the pursuit of his labours, which in a potter require 
much standing and mounting of stairs, the unfortunate 
leg received an injury which confined Wedgwood to his 
room for many months. Though physically laid by, his 
mind never slacked its work, and during this period he 
read and studied, planned new products, made notes from 
such art books as he could get hold of, and stored up valu- 
able information, all of which he utilised later. 

When the five years of the Whieldon partnership came 

4 



iWEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

to an end it was not renewed, and early in 1759, at the 
age of twenty-nine, with his cousin Thomas Wedgwood as 
potter, Josiah commenced a partnership which was only 
terminated with the death of Thomas in 1788. 

The two young men were able to rent from their cousins 
John and Thomas Wedgwood, who were successful potters 
at Burslem, a small dwelling known as " Ivy House," 
which had in the rear some kilns and sheds. The elder 
"NVedgAvoods, having accumulated what was a comfortable 
fortune for those days, reduced their works, leaving thus 
open for their ambitious young relative a potworks of suffi- 
cient size, and for which he paid the modest rent of £10 
a year. 

This was perhaps the busiest time of an always busy 
career. There was little capital on which to build the 
business, so Wedg\vood continued to make those small and 
necessar)^ articles such as he had made with Whieldon, 
formed his own moulds, mixed his clays, saw to the firing, 
kept his books and attended to the warehouse where the 
goods were displayed. 

The care shown in the manufacture of his wares, the 
beauty of the green glaze, his exquisite snuff-boxes and the 
streaked and mottled plates, teapots and ewers, soon at-, 
tracted great attention to the maker. He never considered 
any commission too small, and like other potters of his time 
was sometimes asked to replace dishes which formed a part 
of some cherished service, often of Delft or Oriental ware, 
his painstaking nature leading him to continue his efforts 
till the match was practically perfect. 

Little by little he increased the number of his products. 
First caine a white stoneware in which garden pots, vases 
and tiles were made. Then the cream-coloured ware came 

5 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

under his attention, and he sought to Improve not only the 
body and the glaze, but the shape of the objects as well. 
Nothing satisfied this indomitable man but the best. Dis- 
couragements which would have exhausted most men seemed 
but to stimulate him, and battling with ill-health caused by 
his unfortunate knee, he kept right on, instructing his men, 
improving the implements of his trade, experimenting with 
chemicals and ever alive to the necessity of securing new and 
attractive patterns for his wares. 

His struggles with the journeymen potters were endless. 
A restless set of men, they passed from one employer to an- 
other, their work was often slovenly and inaccurate, and 
being ignorant they were averse to any innovations in their 
methods. It took much labour and firmness to successfully 
inaugurate more business-like methods, and to teach the 
workmen that the new order af things helped rather than 
hindered their work. Even while labouring with these busi- 
ness details he remembered his civic responsibilities, and 
gave his support by both his voice and his purse to the bet- 
tering of the roads, the improvement of Burslem by the 
building of schools, a town hall and a public market. 

During his busy life he always found time and money for 
such public works as were of benefit to mankind, and the 
successful completion of the Grand Trunk Canal was largely 
due to his efforts. 

By 1 76 1 under Wedgwood's capable hands the cream- 
coloured ware had become much improved. The body, com- 
posed of Dorset and Devon clays with a small addition of 
flint, was extremely light, and Greatbach's china glaze still 
further improved the ware by giving it a beautiful glossiness. 
The shapes of articles in this cream-coloured ware were most 
attractive, and for the decoration Wedgwood turned to na- 
ture for colours and designs. 

6 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

The use of the turning lathe by potters had hitherto been 
confined to polishing off irregularities and making only the 
simplest ornamental effects. But in Wedgwood's hands, 
when the improved engine-lathe was complete, having been 
added to by Randle of Congleton, Baddeley of Eastwood, 
Greatbach of Hanley and finally William Cox of Birming- 
ham, the work turned out on red pottery tea and coffee 
pots was of great beauty. Ultimately the engine work was 
applied to other ware, basaltes, stonewares, but on the jas- 
per ware for polishing only. 

Another invention which simplified the production of 
decorated china and also reduced its cost, was the applica- 
tion of printing to both porcelain and pottery. Sadler and 
Green, of Liverpool, had been printing designs on tiles, 
mugs, plates, jugs, etc., since 1752, and to them, on pack- 
horses was the improved cream-coloured ware sent by Wedg- 
wood for decorating. It was returned to Burslem in the 
same manner, was fired and started out again to the various 
fairs, or was distributed through the country districts by 
packmen, or sent to London for even wider distribution by 
ship, to the Colonies or to the Continent. 

In 1765 Wedgwood writes as follows about his exports: 

" The bulk of our particular manufactures are, you know, 
exported to foreign markets, for our home consumption is 
very trifling in comparison to what is sent abroad, and the 
principal of these markets are the Continent and the Islands 
of North America. To the Continent we send an amazing 
quantity of white stoneware and some of the finer kinds, 
but for the Islands we cannot make anything too rich and 
costly." 

On Wednesday, January 25th, 1764, in the parish church 
at Astbur}', Josiah Wedgwood was married to his distant 
cousin Sarahj and took her to live in the " Brick House," 

7 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

as it was called, with which. were also connected pot works 
larger and more commodious than those at " Ivy House." 
The pictures of " Brick House " show it to be a large and 
comfortable dwelling, and here the Wedgwoods lived for 
about five years. Many happenings of a domestic nature 
took place in this period and in this house. There was 
sorrow and suffering, for from here his second child, Rich- 
ard, was buried, and here Wedgwood went through the 
amputation of his leg, which had cost him so much agony. 
Here many things connected with his art were perfected ; 
here he invented that cypher in which his trade secrets were 
noted down, and here came his friends, both humble and 
distinguished, and they were many, for a man of such ac- 
tivity in so many fields could not fail to attract other broad- 
minded men, interested in the same things that absorbed 
him. 

It was but a couple of years before his marriage, in 1762, 
that Wedgwood, confined to his bed in an inn at Liverpool, 
with an injury to his knee, first met with Bentley. From 
the moment of their first hand-clasp the admiration was mu- 
tual, and till the time of Thomas Bentley's death there was 
no man to whom Wedgwood was so closely allied, or who 
stood so near to him in affection. Mr. Bentley was a man 
of taste, he had travelled extensively on the Continent, par- 
ticularly in Italy, he was interested in the beauty of the an- 
tiquities which he had seen, and by means of prints and 
engravings introduced to Wedgwood what proved to be a 
mine of wealth and inspiration. His life had been laid on 
a much broader plane than that of Wedgwood, who had 
been little beyond the borders of Staffordshire. His letters 
touching on events of the day, discussing questions of re- 
ligion and ethics, art and poetry, as well as practical mat- 
ters, were carefully read and treasured by Wedgwood. In- 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

deed, he had them bound and indexed, called them " The 
Family Bible," and had them always at hand for reference. 
Unfortunately they have been lost. 

John Wed^vood, brother to Josiah, was resident in Lon- 
don, and lived at the " Artichoke " in Cateaton Street. 
Engaged in no business for several years while on the look- 
out for something easy and congenial, he took charge of 
the crates of pottery sent from Burslem to London, and had 
the buyers view the goods at a warehouse in Cateaton Street 
near his inn. 

With the growth of business, which increased immensely 
under Royal patronage, Wedgwood appreciated the neces- 
sity for a London w^arehouse in a good neighbourhood and 
under the charge of an efficient clerk. Although he writes 
to his brother about the matter, nothing seems to have been 
done at that time about it. 

Mr. Bentley, in Liverpool, had also a largely Increasing 
export business in Wedgwood's wares, so large, in fact, that 
Wedgwood cannot supply him, and writes in 1766 that he 
had better purchase two or three hundred crates of cream- 
coloured ware from a pot-works in Burslem where it could 
be had cheaper than elsewhere, "and keep it in stock to fill 
these foreign orders. 

In the black v/are, which had become one of the most 
popular products, was made the useful as well as ornamental 
objects. Marbled and pebbled vases were most successful, 
so were the medallions and small figures. 

The want of a proper shop and warehouse in London 
began to be severely felt. The great growth of the business 
which necessitated the frequent absence from home of 
Wedgwood, who was constantly going to Liverpool about 
the printed ware, to Birmingham about the small goods to 
be metal mounted and to London when opportunity offered, 

9 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

induced him to offer Bentley a partnership, the terms of 
which were finally agreed upon in the spring of 1767. 

The business was to be divided into two branches, " Use- 
ful and Ornamental," the useful branch still remaining un- 
der the charge of Thomas Wedgwood, and the ornamental 
to be under the care of Wedg\vood and Bentley, as the new 
firm was to be called. Of course Josiah WcdgAvood was 
the moving spirit of both enterprises, but Bentley began 
immediately to study and sketch small objects for the branch 
in which he was interested. It was at first arranged that 
he should come and live near the works, and various houses 
and sites were looked at. Wedgwood, travelling constantly 
on both his own affairs and those of a public nature in which 
he was almost equally interested, over execrable roads and 
on horseback, overdid, brought on trouble in his leg, and at 
last decided to be relieved of it. 

On May 28th, 1768, without the relief of a sigh or a 
groan, he sat in his chair and viewed the two surgeons re- 
move what for many years had been but a source of misery 
to him. Before the wound had even partially healed, the 
little boy Richard died, and but for the wonderful character 
of jMrs. Wedg^vood, who bore up under her sorrow so as 
to keep him serene, his recover}' would have been longer 
delayed. 

Before this operation he had secured in London what 
seemed to him a most advantageous shop in which to display 
and store his goods, and this was opened to the public in 
August, 1768. It faced both Newport Street and St. Mar- 
tin's Lane, and on the ground floor were on sale some in- 
ferior goods and some of the useful wares, while upstairs, 
to which a wide staircase led, were those articles which 
were shown only to patrons of wealth and taste. 

The new works upon which Wedgwood had finally set- 

10 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

tied, were building at Etniria as well as a fine mansion for 
himself which he named " Etruria Hall," and one also for 
Mr. Bentley in which the Wedgwood family lived till their 
own was completed. On November 14th, 1768, the part- 
nership books were opened at Etruria for Wedgwood and 
Bentley, and by the next spring the slip and clay houses 
were finished, two mills were in progress, and in IVIay 
everj'thing relating to the vases was removed to Etruria. 
By the close of 1769 Etruria Hall was complete and the 
Wedgwood family in occupation. 

For the wonderful success of the showrooms In St. iVIar- 
tin's Lane it is but necessary to consult the memoirs of the 
day. The choicest products of Wedg^vood's fertile brain 
and hands were being sent up from Etruria, and ]\Ir. Bent- 
ley, who of necessity had gone to live in Chelsea so as to be 
near London, presided over the handsome showrooms. 

It was not many years, however, before the capacity of 
these rooms was tested to the utmost. New quarters had 
to be chosen and fitted up, so Mr. Bentley set about procur- 
ing some. Those ultimately agreed on were " Portland 
House," as It was called. In Greek Street, Soho, and they 
were opened to the public in April, 1774. 

The foreign business had Increased w^onderfully, and from 
Russia, whence came many of Wedgwood's earliest orders, 
the patronage extended far and wide. In 1774, Narva, 
Revel and Moscow ordered large consignments. Goods 
were sent to Cadiz, Venice, Valencia, Leipsic, Riga, Leg- 
horn, Hamburg, Genoa, Lisbon, Naples, Ratisbon, Ver- 
sailles, Turin, St. Petersburg, and when commerce was re- 
stored, to Boston, New York, and Southern ports In 
America. 

As early as 1769 Wedgwood, annoyed by the constant 
copying of his best productions, had taken out a patent to 

II 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

protect his Etruscan vases, the only effort hie ever made to 
keep for himself the compensations of. his years of experi- 
ment and study. This patent drew Wedgwood into much 
unpleasantness with Palmer of Hanley, who had been boldly 
pirating, and the matter Avas not entirely adjusted till 1771, 
and caused Wedgwood much annoyance in many ways. 

The Revolutionary War had a bad effect upon the busi- 
ness, since America was one of their best markets. But 
Wedgwood was always upon the side of freedom, and in 
a letter to Bentley, dated March 19th, 1778, he writes as 
follows: "I am glad that America is free, and rejoice 
most heartily that it is so, and the pleasing idea of a refuge 
being provided for those who choose rather to flee from, 
than to submit to the iron hand of tyranny has raised so 
much hilarity in my mind, that I do not at present feel for 
our situation as I may do the next rainy day. We must 
have war and perhaps continue to be beat. To what degree 
is in the womb of time. If our drubbing keeps pace with 
our deserts, the Ld. have mercy upon us." 

Not content with words merely, Wedgwood and Bentley 
contributed to the funds for the sufferers from the war who 
were imprisoned in England, and manifested in all ways 
their sympathies with America. It may be mentioned here, 
that from July, 1787, till his death Wedgwood was ac- 
tively interested in the " Society for the Abolition of 
Slavery." He wrote on its behalf, he gave money and in- 
fluence, organised meetings and was constantly, at work for 
the cause. He also caused Hackwood to model a seal for 
the society, a slave kneeling but in chains, which was made 
In basaltes. The seal became most popular with those who 
endorsed the cause, and was made in many forms, for 
setting in rings, studs, brooches and on watch chains. Wedg- 
wood also sent a number of these seals to Franklin for dis- 

12 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

tribution, with a letter stating his pleasure at being con- 
nected with so good a cause. It may be noted that both 
Washington and Franklin are included among the " Illus- 
trious Moderns." 

But to return to the business affairs of Wedgwood and 
Bentley. In 1775 the new body on which Wedgwood 
had been experimenting so long, was perfected, and to it he 
gave the name of Jasper, a name which had been previously 
applied by him to one of his crystalline bodies. Few ob- 
jects now remain of this early jasper, while of the later 
product quantities of pieces in every variety of form still 
bear their message of beauty. 

In 1775 also, the patent for making porcelain which had 
been granted to Cookworthy and by him sold to Champion, 
and against the extension of which Wedgwood, as the spokes- 
man of the Staffordshire potters, protested, was granted 
Champion. This effectually shut out the Staffordshire men 
from making porcelain, though some of Wedgwood's high- 
class wares are so porcellaneous as almost to come under 
that head. 

From this time, 1775, onward, the fame of Wedg- 
wood's productions increased, his fortune was assured and 
to him came the pleasure of meeting the choicest spirits of 
the day, among whom were many who became close friends. 
The life at Etruria Hall was conducted on a more elaborate 
scale than had been possible at Brick House. Guests came 
often and were always welcome. The collecting of books 
became a delightful resource, and so many chests of them 
found their way down into Staffordshire, that Wedgwood 
was unable to read more than a small portion. In one of 
his letters to Bentley he writes cheerfully, " I thank you 
for the catalogues, but have not had time to read a page. 
My wife says I must buy no more books till I build another 

13 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

house, and advises me first to read some of those I have 
already. What nonsense she sornetimes talks." 

His life w^as not free from its griefs, like that of any 
other human being. There was illness, one daughter in 
some way alienated his affection, some of his children and 
closest friends died, and he saw riot and disorder among 
his workmen. The death of Mr. Bentley in November, 
1780, was an overwhelming loss, and one which left its 
mark permanently upon him. Eight years later Thomas 
Wedgwood, his partner in the " Useful Wares," died. But 
by this time his sons had grown up and been trained in their 
father's business. In 1790, John, Josiah, Jr., and Thomas 
were taken into partnership, as well as a nephew, Thomas 
Byerley, who had been during his younger days much of a 
trial to Wedgwood, as well as to his widowed mother. 

From this time on the reins of management fell slowly 
from the hands of the master potter, his health failed and 
he died, January 3rd, 1795, at the age of sixty-five. 

During the year 1906, in a storehouse at Etruria, the 
factory built by Wedgwood in 1769, were discovered crates 
covered with dust, and fairly rotting away. In them were 
thousands of pieces of ware, moulds and trial pieces, to- 
gether with notes on these by Wedgwood himself. It 
seems difficult to understand why these crates were left 
there undisturbed for more than a hundred years, " always 
had been there," probably, and but for a desire for more 
space in the works, would probably have been left there 
another century. 

While the finished examples among these new-found 
specimens will no doubt attract most attention, the one 
who is interested in the methods and skill of the great pot- 
ter will turn most eagerly to the thousands of trial pieces 
which fill rows upon rows of shelves. Here you can trace 

14 




Pig. 2. Cauliflower Teapot. 





Fig. I. Green Glaze Image. Fig. 4. Pineapplb Mould. 




Fig. 3. Pineapple Teapot. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

the working of an idea from its inception to its perfection. 
His accompanying notes show how each failure was made 
to yield its usefulness, and how he followed up each small- 
est hint they gave till failure was turned into success. 

Slips, glazes, bodies, colours and applied clays are each 
and all set forth, showing how he struggled with diffi- 
culties over and over again, a most instructive exhibition of 
industry, patience, and determination. The fertility of his 
invention and the variety of his designs are exemplified here, 
since of " pitcher moulds " alone more than a thousand re- 
main in perfect condition. 

The intaglios in basaltes which Wedgwood copied from 
the antique gems whenever he had an opportunity, were 
first made in wax by Wedgwood himiself. From this wax 
impression the pitcher mould was taken, the work being 
done on a massive table which stands in the second floor 
of the works. This table is formed of a great tree-trunk 
which is imbedded in the foundations of the works, and 
which was absolutely free from tremor which might de- 
stroy the delicate work. To-day, this tree-trunk is used 
for the same purpose as it was in the days of the great 
potter himself, nothing better having been found to take 
its place. 

Hardly one of the wares which made the name of Wedg- 
wood famous is omitted from the list of perfect pieces 
found, basaltes, cream and ivory-colored ware, lustre, en- 
caustic painted, agate, blue printed ware and finally jasper 
both dipped and solid. Most interesting of all are the 
moulds taken by Wedgwood himself of the Barberini vase, 
but which never were used. Instead wax models of the 
figures were made by Webber, much larger than those on 
the vase so as to allow for shrinking. From these figures 
in wax, plaster casts were made, and from these in turn 

15 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IIVIITATORS 

were made the moulds which in firing shrank several sizes. 
From these moulds the figures to go on the vases were 
made, still several sizes larger than the original, but which 
on firing, came out the perfect size. Two over-shrinkings 
had to be calculated for by Webber, but he seems to have 
been able to do it to the nicety of a hair, and twenty vases 
came out perfect. 

In addition to the many other interesting items in this 
great " find " were the wax models of the famous chessmen 
made by Flaxman. These, however, are too much damaged 
to be of any use, but think of their surviving so long! 

These recently discovered records and specimens prove 
conclusively that to Wedg\vood must be yielded the credit 
of making more improvements and innovations in his art 
than any other one man. He took the common products 
of the time and perfected them. The coarse and clumsy 
shapes under his skilful fingers grew into things of beauty, 
and the table furniture of the whole world was made more 
attractive and sanitan', and low enough in price to be within 
the reach of all. 

His " Ornamentals " speak for themselves, particularly 
those splendid examples in jasper and basaltes, which were 
the highest product of his skill. In the following pages 
his work will be considered in chronological order, ^nd the 
labour of his own hands provides the best memorial which 
can be built to the " Prince of Potters." 



i'6 



LIST OF MATERIALS 

INVENTED OR PERFECTED BY 

WEDGWOOD 

In arranging this list a chronological order has been fol- 
lowed as nearly as possible, and the dates given when the 
body was perfected and ready to be put on the market. 
Some of the bodies were made for a short time only and then 
discarded, others were made in var}'ing quantities during 
the whole of his career. 

Green Ware. 1752. 1795. 

Mottled and Agate Ware. 1752. 

Imitations of Delft Ware. 1758. 

White Stoneware. 1759. 

Cream-Coloured Ware, 1759. 1795. 

Basaltes. 1762. 1795. 

Crystalline Pebbled, 1763. 

Bronze Etruscan. 1768. 

Fine White Ware. 1773. 1775. 

Jasper. 1775. 1795. 

Rosso-Antico. 1776. 

Pearl White Ware. Lustre. 1776. 1779. 

Cane-Coloured Ware. 1780. 1795. 



17 



USEFUL AND ORNAMENTAL WARES 

WHEN the partnership between Wedg\vood and 
Bentley was agreed upon, the products of the 
works were divided into two classes, the 
"Useful" and the "Ornamental." The 
former class w-as to be under the charge of Thomas Wedg- 
wood as manager and partner, and in the profits of this class 
IMr. Bentley had no share. The second class was to be 
made by Wedgwood and Bentley, and in the profits of these 
Thomas Wedgrwood did not participate. 

At first the division seemed very clear, but after the 
Useful Wares began to be made in the same choice ma- 
terials as the Ornamentals, the demarkation became less 
easy to draw. A letter from Wedgwood to Bentley on this 
subject is quoted here, as it explains very plainly to Mr. 
Bentley, who seems to have been a little put out, exactly 
how the great potter felt in the matter. 

" With respect to the difference between Useful Ware 
and Ornamental, I do not find any inclination in myself 
to be overnice in drawing the line. You know I never 
had any idea that Ornamental ware shod, not be of ' some 
use.' You knew this from all we had done hitherto, from 
the many conversations we have had upon the subject, 
and from the list we wrote in 5'our commonplace book of 
the uses to which ornamental vases might be put; I cod. 
have wished therefore that you had not repeated this idea 
so often, and asked me if my partnership wath T. W. 
wod. exclude our making ' Stella's ' ewers. Tell me, my 
dear friend, did you ask me this question for information, 

18 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

or were you really as angry with me, as the question accom' 
panied with any other idea would import. I hope you were 
not, for I shod, be very unhappy to think you wod. be angry 
with me lightly, or that I had given you any just occasion 
for the warmth some parts of your letter seem to express. 
I say seem, for I hope I am mistaken, and shall rest in that 
hope till I have the pleasure of hearing from you again. 
But as this question has put me upon thinking a little more 
upon the subject, and the situation I am. or may be in, be- 
twixt two Partnerships, it may not be amiss to enter a little 
deeper into it, and attempt something like a line in Theorie, 
though I hope we shall none of us be too rigid in our 
adherence to it, in practice. And first negatively; I do not 
think that fineness, or richness, or price, or colour, or 
enamelling, or bronzing, or gilding, can be a criterion for 
our purpose, for though we make a Table or desert service 
ever so fine, rich, or expensive, though they are every piece 
rich enough to adorn a Cabinet, they are in my opinion, 
Useful ware still, and I think the same may be said of a 
Teapot or a Chamberpot. Suppose for instance, that I 
should make pebble desert ware, and should vein or edge 
it with gold burnt in. This would be as rich as the vases, 
but must, I apprehend be class'd as Useful ware still; and 
on the other hand, though we make a flowerpot, a Vase, 
Candlestick, etc., ever so plain, it is still in the class of 
Ornamental Ware, and clearly within the partnership of 
W. and B. only, and I should think I did wrong in mak- 
ing them at Burslem on any occasion without first asking 
your consent. 

" If degrees of richness or elegance of form were to con- 
stitute the difference in question, and consequently the mak- 
ing of it be transferred from Burslem to Etruria upon its 
improvement beyond such a pitch, this wod. not only lay a 

19 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

foundation for frequent disputes, but must have the same 
effect upon my useful works, as the King of France's 
Edict has upon the potteries of France, to prevent their 
rivalling his w^orks at Seve, for T. W. might with reason 
say I have such or such an improvement to introduce into 
the desert or Tea, but I shall then lose the Article, or if 
I improve such a single article further it is gone! This is 
no forced or unnatural supposition, but is what must result 
from such a principle being admitted, and as there seems to 
me to be a distinct criterion to distinguish between Useful 
ware and Ornaments, and which is clear of these or any 
other material objections, I cannot hesitate in rejecting the 
former. May not useful ware be comprehended under this 
simple definition, of such vessels as are made use of at 
meals? This appears to me to be the most simple and 
natural line, and though it does not take in Wash-hand 
basons and bottles, or Ewers, chamberpots, and a few such 
articles, they are of small consequence, and speak plain 
enough for themselves; nor wod. this exclude any superb 
vessels for sideboards, or vases for desert if they could be 
introduced, as these would be for show rather than use." 
This was written in September, 1770. 

When, in 1773, after the firm of Wedgwood and Bent- 
ley had been in partnership four years, it was found neces- 
sary to issue a catalogue, the Ornamental Wares were di- 
vided into twenty classes. 

" One. Intaglios and Medallions or Cameos, accurately 
taken from antique gems and from the finest models that 
can be procured from modern artists. In 1787 there were 
1032 designs of these objects. 

" Two. Bas-reliefs, Medallions and tablets, etc. Of 
these there were 300 designs. 

20 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

" Three. Medallions, etc., of Kings, Queens and Illus- 
trious persons of Asia, Egypt and Greece. In 1787 there 
were over a hundred of these. 

"Four. A set of sixty medals, from Dassler, illus- 
trating ancient Roman history, from the founding of the 
city to the end of the Consular government, including the 
age of Augustus. 

" Five^ Heads of Illustrious Romans. Forty of these 
were produced. 

" Six. The twelve Caesars, made in four sizes, and their 
Empresses, which were made in one size only. 

"Seven. Fifty-two medallions showing Emperors from 
Nerva to Constantine the Great. 

" Eight. Heads of the Popes, 253 medallions. 

"Nine. A series of 102 heads of Kings and Queens of 
England and France, sold only in sets. 

" Ten. Heads of Illustrious Moderns. In 1787 there 
were 230 heads made both in jasper and basaltes, in several 
sizes, chiefly in one colour, sold at is. each. 

" Eleven. This was a most important class, headed by 
Wedgwood ' busts, small statues, boys and animals.' It in- 
cluded many busts of distinguished persons which have 
now become very rare and are much in demand. The 
material most often used was basaltes, and there were in- 
cluded in it such persons as Marcus Aurelius, Lord 
Chatham, Zeno, Marcus Brutus, Homer, Pindar, John De 
Witt, etc., some of the busts reaching a size of twenty-five 
inches while others varied from four to eighteen inches. 
Eighty busts in all were produced and there were forty 
statues of animals, etc., also in basaltes. 

" Twelve. Lamps and Candelabra. Made in marbled 
ware or basaltes as well as jasper; some of them adapted 
for Argand's patent burner. The prices ranged from 2 

21 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

shillings to 5 guineas. Not many were made and they are 
rare. 

" Thirteen. Tea and coffee services, including chocolate 
pots, sugar dishes, cream ewers, cabinet cups and saucers, 
etc., made in bamboo, basaltes, plain and enriched with 
Grecian and Etruscan ornaments. Likewise in jasper of 
two colours ' polished within like the natural stone.' 

"Fourteen. Flower and root-pots. 

" Fifteen. Ornamental vases of antique form in terra- 
cotta. 

"Sixteen. Antique vases of black porcelain or artificial 
basaltes, highly finished with bas-reliefs. Sizes from 3 inches 
to 2 feet. They came in sets or singly, and many of these 
vases were used as mortuary urns. 

" Sei'cnteen. Vases, tablets, etc., with encaustic paint- 
ings. The tablets were made of varying sizes, small enough 
for a lady's ring or large enough to set in furniture or a 
mantelpiece. 

" Eighteen. To this class belonged the magnificent 
vases, tripods, and other objects in jasper with coloured 
grounds and white reliefs. 

" Nineteen., Inkstands, paint-chests, eye-cups, mortars 
and chemical vessels. 

" Twenty. Thermometers for measuring strong fire or 
the degree of heat above ignition." 

These articles were all marked Wedgwood and Bentley, 
till after 1780, then the mark was Wedgwood. 

Tlic first edition of the catalogue was a small pamphlet, 
published 1773. The second edition, published 1774, was 
much more imposing; when this was later translated into 
French, it was called the third edition. Fourth edition, 
1777, fifth, 1779, sixth in French the same year, and the 

22 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

sixth English was brought out in 1787. This was issued 
in French in 1788. Besides the French editions of these 
catalogues there were also Dutch and German ones. Since 
the death of Wedgwood there have been two English re- 
prints of these catalogues, one in 1817 and the other in 
1873. 



23 



GREEN-GLAZED WARE 

1752-1795 

GREEN ware, that is, a body covered with a green 
glaze, had long been made in England. Indeed, 
the process had come down from the Roman 
potters, but with the decline of tile-making the 
secret had been lost. 

Whieldon and some of the other Burslem potters had 
taken up the manufacture of the green ware again, but 
their method of obtaining the colour was to stain the body 
with oxide of copper and then apply a glaze made of lead, 
water and flint. 

To Wedgwood is ascribed the " invention " of the green 
glaze which through his experimenting finally became so 
successful. Miss Meteyard gives the formula for Wedg- 
wood's green glaze as follows: 

" Flint glass, 6. "] 

Red lead, 2. Witrlfied. 

White enamel, 4.J 

Calcined copper, ^o- This will be a blue green and 
will require a good deal of yellow ground with it to make 
it grass green." 

The colour of this glaze as perfected by Wedgwood Is 
extremely brilliant and beautiful, and marks the great ad- 
vance in the matter of glaze which Wedgwood made even 
so early In his career. He appreciated far more keenly than 
many of his contemporaries the advantage of preparing 
his materials with the greatest care and trusting less to 

24 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

chance than was common in the Potteries. Under his 
supervision the wares put out from the Whieldon works be- 
came much more popular than before, and articles which 
hitherto had never been attempted were successfully made 
and put on the market. 

While Whieldon himself seems to have had small initia- 
tive and inventive power, he had the sagacity to procure 
for his works the best assistance possible. Josiah Spode 
the elder, William Greatbach, Garner and Barker were his 
apprentices at various times; Aaron Wood modelled for 
him, and Wedgwood made moulds for him as well as im- 
proved many processes. 

The little " image toy " in green is a very early piece, 
Figure i, and most brilliant in colour and glaze. Few 
of these figures come into the hands of collectors now,. but the 
beautiful green plates and trays are occasionally to be met 
with. One exceedingly choice example of a cauliflower 
compotier was obtained not long ago by a china fancier at 
an auction sale which took place at a small house in Roches- 
ter, New York. A woman bought it before our collector 
arrived and he saw her showing it with considerable dis- 
satisfaction to a friend. He told her that he would give 
her a new white china dish in exchange. She was more than 
satisfied, chose a dish which cost forty cents, and our col- 
lector bore his treasure homeward, pleased with his luck. 

Some of the trays have finely modelled wreaths of fruit 
or flowers, grapes and strawberries being especial favour- 
ites. Teacaddies also are occasionally to be met with, par- 
ticularly in the cauliflower pattern, and are most orna- 
mental. 

Wedgwood continued making this ware after he started 
in business for himself, but after he became fully employed 
in making those wares in which finer effects were to be 

25 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

obtained, he disposed of the green ware he had on hand. It 
was, however, continually made in small quantities at Burs- 
lem. Wedgwood's taste for copying natural forms in pot- 
tery found ample expression in this beautiful glaze, and it is 
wonderful to see the variety of charming " pickle leaves," 
as they were called, which came from his hands. Grape, 
maple and fern leaves as well as cabbage leaves were 
used, and if it were possible to obtain a collection of these 
green leaves alone, it would be seen that each specimen was 
worthy special attention. A numher of them are packed 
away in the storerooms of the Boston Museum of Fine 
Arts, waiting for room in the new buildings in which they 
can be displayed. 

About ten years after the ware first came into favour, It 
began to decline in popularity, and to stimulate interest in 
it, Wedgwood had it decorated with gilt sprigs. In Au- 
gust, 1766, WedgAvood writes to Bentley about it as fol- 
lows: "Pray sell the Green and Gold for Pensacola, the 
new discover'd Islands, or where you can, for I will never 
take it again, so make your best of it. I am quite clearing 
my Warehs. of colour'd ware, and am heartily sick of the 
commodity and have been so long, but durst not venture 
to quit it till I had got something better in hand, which 
thanks to my fair customers I now have and intend to make 
the miost of it. Green desert ware is often wanted in 
reality for the West India Islands. I have a few crates on 
hand, some gilt, some plain, ergo, shod, be glad to part with 
them on very moderate terms, for the reason assigned above 
I wod. sell them at 20 p. ct. less than I ever sold any be- 
fore." 

This green glaze was applied to the cauliflower, see Fig- 
ure 2, pine-apple, see Figure 3, and Figure 4, and melon 
ware which has so long been assigned to Whieldon. In 

26 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

1906 in the crates before mentioned as being found at 
Etruria, were specimens of teapots, pitchers, etc., and their 
moulds, proving conclusively that Wedgwood made them. 
Very charming they are too, the contrast between the green 
of the leaves and the yellow top being particularly fresh 
and pleasing. Owing to the high price of tea these pots 
were made usually in small sizes, the two shown being four 
and a half inches high, while some ran even smaller. 

Quantities of these pots were sent to America in the 
crates of " Assort'd Wares " which were so popular, or by 
" the chest, newest fashion," as was advertised by James 
McEvers in 1757. "Colly flower tea and coffee pots" 
are advertised in 1765, and in many of these advertisements 
" Wedgwood's wares " are specified. Besides what was 
sold by the regular merchants at their shops, much stuff of 
all kinds was sold direct from the ships. Frida3% Nov. 7th, 
1783, there was this advertisement in the Ncic York Morn- 
ing Post: "Just arrived in the Iris from London, and to 
be sold low By Robert Loosely, In Water Street between 
the Coffee House and Old Slip, A Great variety of Goods, 
Amongst which are a few Books, Gold Rings, Lockets and 
Pins, Very fine and fresh French and English hard and soft 
Pomatums, Fine plated and high finished steel spurs, a par- 
cel of very neat Wedgwood, Ink stands. Cream ware, etc." 

Indeed particularly in the old newspapers of New Eng- 
land there was hardly an issue after 1770 which did not 
contain an advertisement of china wares. In addition to 
the ship sales and the merchants, there was scarcely a 
" dame " who had a little shop but who imported her crate 
of china ; the chemists followed suit, so did the tobacconists, 
the dealers in pewter, and apparently everybody else who 
could obtain it. 

In- the Connecticut Courant for September, 1773, 

27 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

is this advertisement from the " Staffordsliire and Liver- 
pool Warehouse," Boston, Mass.: 

** A fine sortment of Crockery Ware, consistinsi of almost 
every kind of Cliina, Glass and Delph; Cream-colour, 
white, blue and white, black, brown, as;ot, tortoise, melon, 
pineapple fruit pattern, enamcl'd and many other kinds 
of Stoneware." 

These teapots of Wedgwood's had more excellencies than 
those of form and colour. The noses were so well placed 
that they poured without spillinp; the liquid, the handles 
were comfortable to i^rasp and the lids stayed on. In fact 
they were only another exemplification of his determination 
that whatever he made should be the best of its kind, and 
entirely suitable for the purpose for which it was intended. 



28 



MOTTLED, MARBLED, OR 
AGATE WARE 

1752 

IN the close quarters of " The Potteries," where trade 
secrets became common property over night, it was 
not to be wondered at that all pot-works turned 
out similar wares. The oldest potters, Warburtons, 
Turners, Mayers and the elder Wedgwoods, all made mot- 
tled or marbled ware of two or three coloured clays, some- 
times applying the colour in slip form, the colours being 
drawn together by the use of a comb, as the painter nowa- 
days produces artificial graining in wood. 

These mottled and agate wares were so improved by 
Thomas Whieldon, who potted between 1 740-1 780, that 
they are commonly called " Whieldon Ware " no matter 
by whom produced. Working under so skilful and broad- 
minded a potter as Whieldon, Wedgwood sought in every 
way to improve the wares which were in hand, and these 
crude and primitive mottled articles bloomed into new 
beauty. 

The old method of " combing " several coloured slips 
together was replaced by the use of coloured clays being 
worked together, thin cakes or " bats " being beaten to- 
gether so that they would stick, strips being cut from the 
mass, which, when formed into articles by being thrown 
or pressed, exhibited marvellous streakings and veinings in 
different colourings. Wares produced in this way were 

29 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

known as " solid agate," and its method of production, that 
is, whether thrown or pressed in a mould can always be told, 
in the latter case by the seam which remains between the two 
halves of the mould. 

Tea sets, flower pots, vases, bowls, jars open and covered, 
plates, trays and baskets were all made in this early 
marbled ware, which is quite distinct from the " pebbled 
ware " of much greater beauty, which is considered later. 

The mottled ware was sometimes made on a cream- 
coloured body by the use of manganese, oxide of iron, 
oxide of copper and oxide of cobalt dissolved by the lead 
glaze and floating into one another. This mottled ware was 
often extremely beautiful when a skilful hand blended 
the colours, and when the object was enriched with raised 
design or punched work, with splashes of zaffres laid in, or 
touches of emerald green. The soft tones of browns in the 
wares which seem to float on a ground of saffron are most 
pleasing and restful to the eye, and no collection of early 
English wares is complete without one. I have mentioned 
before, in " The Old China Book," a piece of great beauty, 
a covered jar, which is in the Antiquarian Society Rooms at 
Concord, Massachusetts. 

Wedgwood, after he went in business for himself, 
painted with liquid clays his cream-coloured ware, old stock 
or seconds, in mottled effects, keeping his wares constantly 
moving, like the practical business man that he was. 

He writes to Bentley in November, 1769: " I have re- 
served my house at Burslem for Mr. Rhodes, (a skilful 
painter and enameller) and his men, it is quite ready for 
him and when he comes you shall have Mr. Bakewell; but 
we must have some one here to vein and finish the vases 
and if Bakewell goes before Mr. Rhodes comes the business 
must stand still the while." 

30 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

When this mottled, marbled or agate decoration was 
applied to the cream-coloured ware it was known as " sur- 
face agate " to distinguish it from' the " solid agate " where 
the colour went through the whole body. In Figure 5 
is given an example of surface agate, from the Museum at 
Burslem, and though on this piece the wavings are large 
and wide apart they are often found on smaller pieces, 
or on plates and dishes, with small mottlings and veinings, 
much like the markings in tortoise shell, which name was 
also sometimes applied to this ware. 



31 



CREAM-COLOURED WARE 

"QUEEN'S WARE" 

1 759-1 795 

IN Shaw's " ffistory of the Staffordshire Potteries," 
published in 1829, he says: "About 1725 Mr. 
Thomas Astbury, a son of the person already men- 
tioned (John Astbury), commenced business at Lane 
Delph, first using a different kind of marl with the flint, 
which so varied the tint of this improved pottery, that he 
named it cream-coloured stoneware; and this was further 
improved by using only the whitest native clay and flint 
ground at Mothersall mill." 

Various Staffordshire potters made this ware, using a lead 
glaze and only one firing. Enoch Booth of Tunstall 
in 1750 was the first potter to fire the body to a biscuit 
state, and then apply a liquid glaze composed of calcined 
flint and calcined lead ore ground in water to a perfect 
smoothness. 

Cream-coloured ware was made in this way for about 
nine years, before Wedgwood began to experiment with 
both body and glaze. He was so successful that in 1763 
Queen Charlotte ordered from him a table service, and in 
compliment to her he named the ware " Queen's Ware," 
and was made " Potter to the Queen " and supplied several 
services to the royal family. 

The use of Greatbach's glaze, which was similar to that 
in use in the great English china potteries, and the use of the 

32 




Fig. $. " SuRFAcii Agate " 1"lov\i;u Pot. 




Fig. 6. Russian Service. 



% 



^ 



y» ',-■>•- >5: 




%^ ■f"*-- %.■: -^r ■ «^'- -i 



W- 



4 



Fig. 7. Covered Dish, Cream-coloiired Ware. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

finer clays of Devon and Dorset in addition to the calcined 
flint, gave an increased w^hiteness to the ware and made it 
less liable to crack and flake off. 

It was decorated in enamel colours — ^Wedgwood sent his 
pieces to Mrs. Warburton of Hot Lane for this decoration 
at first, — then printing was applied by Sadler and Green 
at Liverpool, and finally when the material and shapes were 
as perfect as Wedgwood could make them, he had them 
decorated under his own supervision. 

When it became evident what important materials china 
stone and china clay were in the making of cream-coloured 
ware, and what a blow would be given to the industry by 
tile extension of Cookworthy's patent to Champion, it was 
no wonder that the Staffordshire potters rose up in a body 
to protest against its extension. The petition they presented 
was so far successful that it granted to Champion the sole 
right to use Cornwall clay in " transparent " ware only, 
leaving open to the pottery trade its use in opaque ware of 
every kind. It hampered Wedgwood from ever making 
porcelain. 

In 1767 Wedgwood writes: "The demand for the 
Cream-colour, alias Queen's Ware, alias Ivory still in- 
creases. It is really amazing how rapidly the use has spread 
allmost over the whole globe and how universally it is 
liked." 

In fact in this year it was to be found on sale in Russia, 
France, Germany, Spain, America, East and West Indies, 
the Baltic ports and Holland. 

The most celebrated set he ever made in cream-coloured 
ware was the one which filled an order from Queen Cathe- 
rine of Russia, It is not nearly as artistic as many of his 
simpler productions, since the presence of a green frog on 
every piece is a positive defect. The set was to be used at 

33 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

" La Grenoulllicre " at Tzarsko-selo near St. Petersburg. 
It was commenced in April, 1773, and contained 952 pieces. 
The cost of tlie plain ware for the dinner service was £36 
6s. and for the dessert service £15 2s. 4d. The decorative 
work cost £2290 I2S. 4d. and the amount paid out for 
prints, engravinp;s, books and having the views made cost 
£2410 more. The green frogs were painted by one man, 
Nathaniel Cooper, at 2| pence and 3 pence each, and there 
are entered on the bill 1244 of them, so there must have 
been two on some pieces. The scenes depicted were the 
famous mansions of England ; the amount of work was 
stupendous and the price received from Catherine, £3000, 
quite inadequate, save that it was a magnificent advertise- 
ment and spread the fame of Wedgwood far and wide. 

In June, 1774, the set was on exhibition at the London 
showrooms, and was open to the public for two months. 
Mrs. Delany, a fashionable dame, went with the rest of the 
world to see it, and has recorded her impression as follows: 
" I am just returned from viewing the Wedgwood Ware 
that is to be sent to the Empress of Russia. It consists 
of many pieces, I believe as there are days in the year. 
They are displayed at a house in Greek street, * Soho,' 
called ' Portland House.' There are three rooms below and 
two above filled with it, laid out on tables, everything that 
can be wanted to serve a dinner; the ground, the common 
ware pale brimstone, the drawings in purple, the borders a 
wreath of leaves, the middle of each particular piece a view 
of all the places in the King's dominions neatly executed. .1 
suppose it will come to a princely price, it is well for the 
manufacturer, which I am glad of, as his ingenuity and 
industry deserve encouragement." Some of the plates in 
the dessert service are shown in Figure 6. 

Wedgwood's eflforts to improve everything that he set 

34 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

his hand to never slackeneil, aiul his desire to <:!:et some 
material by which he could make better ware ituluccd 
l\im in 1775 in company with Turner of Lane End and 
one or two others, to take a journey tlirouij^li Cornwall in 
search of clays, 'i'hey became lessees of st>me mines near 
St. Stephens, and a man named (uilllths who had been 
Wedi^wooil's ai^ent in South Carolina remained as mana!i,er. 

The shades of cream-coloured ware vary from a pale 
cream throui:;h all the intermediate shades to saffron, in- 
lluenced by the qualities of the clay, the differences in de- 
gree of heat in firing and the xwixuy uncertainties which the 
potter has to contend w ith. Wedtjwood says ( 17(18) : " With 
respect to the colour of my ware, I endeavour to make it 
as pale as possible to continue in cream-colour, ami lind my 
customers in general, though not every individual of them, 
think the alteration I have made in that respect a great 
improvement, but it is impossible that any one colour, even 
though it were come down from Heaven, shod, please every 
taste, and I cannot regularly make two cream-colours, a 
deep and a light shade, without having two works for that 
purpose. Nor have 1 any clay to make with certainty a 
very light colour for Teawarc." 

Miss Meteyard gives a list of the pieces comprising a 
service of Queen's Ware of " middling size," such as were 
sent all over the world by Wedgwood. 

"Two Oval dishes, 10 in. 
Two ditto dishes, 17 in. 
Two Round dishes, 17 in. 
Two Round dishes, 15 in. 
Four Oval dishes, ij^ in. 
Four Oval dishes, 1 1 in,, 
Four Oval dishes, 11 in. 

35 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Four 0\al dishes, ii in. 

Four Round. 

Two Terrines for Soup. 

Two Sauce Terrines. 

Four Sauce Terrines. 

Twx) Salad Dishes. 

Six Salts. 

Two Mustard Pots. 

Four Pickle Dishes. 

Six Dozen Flat Plates. 

Two Dozen Soup Plates." 

This ser^'ice, plain, was sold at £3 17s. When dec- 
orated the price varied according to the amount of decora- 
tion. In 1783 a table and tea-service was printed by Sad- 
ler and Green for David Garrick, with an edging and 
cypher of the letters D. G., the cost of which work was 
£8 6s. i|d. 

In addition to the pieces composing table and tea-serv- 
ices, there were many miscellaneous articles made. " Fish 
drainers oval and round. Root dishes with pans to keep 
them hot. Covered Dishes, see Figure 7, Soup Dishes with 
covers, Dishes for Water Zootjes (Dutch fish). Herring 
Dishes single or double. Ice pails, Pickle stands, Leaves and 
shells of different kinds, Epergnes for the middle of the 
table, Egg Baskets to keep boiled eggs hot, Egg Cups with 
or without covers. Oil and Vinegar Stands, Egg Spoons, 
Table Candlesticks of different patterns from 9-14 in. high. 
Bread Baskets oval or round, Cheese Toasters with 
Water Pans, Oval and round Potting Pots, Pudding 
Cups, shapes for Blanc-mange, Asparagus pans, Montciths 
for keeping Glasses cool in water, Curvettes, Cheese Plates, 
Beer mugs and Jugs with or without covers, Large soup 

36 




Fig. 8. Cream-coloured Ware, Painted and Printed. 




Fig. 9. Orange Basket. 



Fig. id. Flower Pot. 




Fig. II. Cream-coloured Ware. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Ladles, Fruit Baskets with or without covers. Sweet- 
meat Baskets, Croquants or Sweet-meat Dishes, Glacieres 
(for Ice-Cream), Ice-cream Cups and covers. Ice-cream, 
bowls, Strawberry Dishes and Stands, Custard cups. Tartlets, 
Dessert Spoons, Water Plates with covers to keep toast & 
butter warm, Gondolas for Dry toast, Butter tubs & stands, 
wash hand basons & ewers, Shaving Basons, Punch bowls. 
Spitting pots, Sauce Pans for cooking. Night Lamps to 
keep any liquid warm all night, & Table & toilet candle- 
sticks with extinguishers." 

Even this long list does not cover all the articles made, 
for Wedgwood was constantly adding new articles of use 
to those already made. His coffee, tea and chocolate 
services with kettles and lamps were of great beauty, and 
quite recently I saw a. tall vessel for keeping liquid warm 
with a place below for a small lamp. There was no coloured 
decoration, but the top was ornamented with a charming 
design in punched work, in which Wedgwood particularly 
excelled, inventing many small tools so as to vary the pat- 
terns. Many very choice dessert services have this punched 
work on the rims, and he used it on teapots with good ef- 
fect. " Pierced Si gilt " are terms seen on many lists of his 
wares. On the printed ware, he not only supplied the de- 
sign but saw to it that they were varied. Each dozen 
plates of dinner sets had different central ornament; each 
dish, tureen, and centre-piece was also different. 

All nature yielded patterns for his guidance. Flowers, 
birds, see Figure 8, insects, sea-weeds and shells were all 
atilised. Coats of arms and crests were either painted or 
printed, and the choicest sets had enamelled borders. 

From 1769 the demand for this cream-coloured ware 
constantly increased, and in 1774 Miss ^leteyard gives as 
the most popular border designs: 

37 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

" Printed bird pattern, 

Oat border, 

Arrow pattern. 

Green flowers. 

Green husks. 

Strawberry leaf. 

Black flowers. 

Blue shell edge. 

Green shell edge. 

Ivy border with springs. 

Purple arrow heads. 

Purple antique. 

Etruscan red and black borders. 

Etruscan green and black. 

Marine pattern, purple edge. 

Calico pattern and springs. 

Green double lines. 

Brown double lines. 

Laurel border. 

Green feather edge and flower. 

Green oat leaf. 

Blue lines. 

Brown antique border. 

Red border. 

Greek border. 

Shaded figures purple grounds. 

Queens pattern, red birds. 

Black pencilled. 

Enamelled shagreen." 

When the demand for these services grew to such large 
proportions, Wedgwood had borders enamelled at his own 
works for this purpose at Chelsea, 1774, and finally, by 
1784, did much of his own printed ware too, while Green 

38 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

continued to print the old standard patterns. The year 
before the death of Thomas Wedg\vood at Burslem, 1787, 
the number of border patterns had increased. There were, 
in addition to those already given: 

" Honeysuckle in several colours. 
Red Etruscan. 

Black and red spike. ^ 

Brown edge inside. 

Brown husk. 

Blue convolvulus with green leaves. 

Deep rose colour, bell drops. 

Red and black strawberry leaf with drop. 

Double laurel. 

Brown Etruscan. 

Dotted border. 

Green and shaded purple. 

Royal pattern pencilled landscapes. 

Light green bell drops. 

Broad pea-green and mauve." 

The enamelled borders were almost infinite in their 
variety. They were made to order, and crests and coats 
of arms introduced to suit owners. The ware itself of 
the " old " period is very beautiful from the perfection of 
each piece. The plates were absolutely true and symmetrical, 
his bowls and dishes " nest " with accuracy, and no piece 
was too simple or too " useful " not to be made as well as 
possible. 

The twigged work was always graceful and beautiful, 
as the orange basket shown in Figure 9 abundantly testi- 
fies, and even milk pans and watering-pots were as care- 
fully studied. The punched " lozenge " work on the flower 
pot in Figure 10 shows how ornamental so simple a device 

39 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

may be made when skilfully applied. Figure ii shows 
candlesticks and a charming tea-caddy, with a design by 
Roquet. 

Cream-coloured ware was not used only in the " useful " 
department, but very beautiful vases were formed of it as 
well. The early specimens are of small size, ribbed or 
fluted, the later ones showing choice ornament in the way 
of floral festoons, handles and drapery. The patterns were 
part printed, part painted, sometimes touched up with gold, 
occasionally finished with punched or pierced work. The 
cream ware was the body for the mottled, marbled and 
" surface agate," and some were made, and referred to 
particularly by Wedgwood, in which the neck and serpent 
handles were coloured blue, the body of the vase left in its 
cream tint or enriched with gold. 

These cream vases in all their varieties were boldly 
copied at Leeds, but in an inferior style. The Stafford- 
shire makers imitated anything they could lay their hands 
on, and with regard to the " blue necked " vases, Wedg- 
wood cautions Bentley to be sure he knows to whom he 
sells such things, else they will be back at the Potteries by 
the first carriers' cart. 

The cost of many of these cream ware vases was high. 
" Cream ware vases with serpents, satyr's heads, husk fes- 
toons, and black necks, feet and ornaments, £2 2s. each." 
1769. 

The vases, by wholesale, ranged from one shilling to sev- 
eral pounds, according to their size and decorations. It 
is rare to come across one now. Bentley never had any 
share in the profit of even ornamental cream ware, and the 
demand for it in useful forms was so large, and the ex- 
quisite vases made in other materials so popular that the 
making of cream ware vases gradually ceased. 

40 



BASALTES 

1 762-1 795 

THE making of "black ware," "Egyptian black 
clay," or " basaltes," as it is variously called, had 
long been practised in The Potteries. Indeed, 
during Roman times and the Middle Ages, it was 
one of the commonest materials used in pottery. Besides 
being formed into vessels of one kind or another, it was 
made into tiles as well. 

The method of making it as practised by the Elers 
Brothers about 1700 was simple enough, as the materials 
were ironstone and red clay. Miss Meteyard says that 
from 1 7 10-17 15 there were forty-three pot-works at Burs- 
lem, and of these, seventeen produced black ware as well as 
the variously marbled, combed and mottled ones, while the 
Churchyard Works, carried on by the father of Josiah 
Wedgwood, produced only mottled and black ware. From 
time to time others of the Staffordshire potters experi- 
mented with it, but it was Wedgwood who finally brought 
it to its point of perfection. The formula he used con- 
tained native clay, ironstone, ochre and oxide of manga- 
nese. The quality of this basaltes when fired was ex- 
tremely hard and fine, susceptible of taking a high polish 
on a wheel, or of being left with its velvety surface, this 
latter dull colour being generally preferred. 

Wedgwood himself calls it " a fine black porcelain " and 
" equal in hardness to agate or porphyry." Although this 
material seems more suitable to articles of ornament, many 

41 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

pieces of "useful ware" were made in it, see Figure I2. 
There were also odd tea and coffee pots, eye cups, ink 
stands of endless patterns, many extremely beautiful lamps, 
salt cellars, flower pots, trays, and urns. 

Many of these were plain, relying on their beauty of 
form for their success, see Figure 13, while others were 
decorated with engine-turned patterns, with bas-reliefs, or 
the two combined. In some cases where the figures were 
single ones, they made processions about the bodies of tea- 
pots and vases, their positions being altered so as to make 
endless varieties. 

The handles of the vases exhibited much fertility of in- 
vention; there were animals, heads, dolphins, sphinxes, or 
plain forms of classic shape. 

The vases shown in Fig. 14 exhibit the highest class 
basaltes vases. The mark on these vases is in a raised 
medallion in circular form ; giving both names, and some- 
times in addition the word *' Etruria." Basaltes also formed 
the base for the Etruscan ware made in imitation of the 
ancient Etruscan vases. It was also used for the base of 
those pieces to which " bronze " was applied. 

In the ornamental branch were also busts from four 
to twenty-five inches in height, statuettes, small groups, 
sphinxes, tritons, medallions, cameos and vases. Many of 
the best models obtained by Wedgwood were used for this 
ware, such as charming little figures by Mrs. Landre, Theo- 
dore Parker, Denby, Boot, and William Hackwood, whose 
presence at Etruria is first spoken of in 1770. 

Voyez modelled the earliest bas-reliefs in 1766, and they 
were used to set in chimney pieces, occasionally by the 
brothers Adam, the architects, as well as by individual pur- 
chasers. He also modelled seals and some of the articles 
in useful ware. 

42 




Fig. 12. Basalt ES Tea Service. 




Fig. 13. Basaltes Vase. 




WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Besides Mrs. Landre, Wedgwood employed many other 
feminine artists either as modellers, enamellers, or design- 
ers. Richard Parker modelled figures and animals; P. 
Stephan also modelled animals, not entirely to Wedgwood's 
satisfaction. There were Hoskins and Grant, who made 
moulds; Lady Templetown made charming sketches of 
children, while Webber modelled such dainty subjects as 
" Cupid, a model," " Hebe," " Cupid drawing his dart," 
"Triumph of Mars," etc., besides many articles like cups 
and vases. In 1787 he went to Rome under Wedgwood's 
employment, where he made models and drawings, and after 
his return continued at Etruria till Wedgwood's death. 
He was a valuable assistant when the Barberini vase was 
being copied, and gave much assistance till the copies were 
successfully made. 

Lochee modelled small articles, and assisted by a man 
named Peart copied many antique gems. Wyatt the artist 
and Westmacott also did some work for Wedgwood, and 
there was also Devaere, who succeeded Webber at the Or- 
namental works, and who, on his return from Italy, where 
he had followed Flaxman, Anglicised his name to John De 
Vere. There was also John Bacon, John Coward, Edward 
Watson, who modelled the first ink-stand used, Isaac Gos- 
set, Thomas Astle, James Tassie, who for many years 
did much work for Mr. Wedgwood, Pingo and Pacetti, 
Italians, the latter of whom modelled " Birth of Achilles," 
*' Priam begging from Achilles the body of Hector," and 
numerous other subjects both original and copied. There 
was also Angelo Dalmazzoni, who from 1787 till Wedg- 
wood's death, in 1795, copied from the antique and origi- 
nated many bas-reliefs and cameos. Dalmazzoni also em- 
ployed two cameo cutters, Fratoddi and Mangiarotti, who 
copied the finest antiques, and made models for Wedgwood's 

43 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

use of quantities of very choice ones. Other artists who 
worked for Etruria under Dalmazzoni's direction were 
Manzolini, Cades and Angelini, Nearly every ship from 
Leghorn carried boxes of cameos, prints and moulds to 
Wedgwood, who copied in his choicest materials those beau- 
tiful figures and cameos. 

The foremost artist employed by Wedgwood, the one to 
whom he was indebted for many of his choicest designs, 
was John Flaxman. It was through Mr. Bentley that 
he was procured as a modeller, and in January, 1775, he 
began to work. His first bill included work done in March 
and April, 1775, and mentions models for vases, bas- 
reliefs and medals. In the summer more work was sent 
him, making portraits, and till 1779 he was busy modelling 
the heads of illustrious Greeks, busts, many bas-reliefs, 
such as the " Dancing Hours," " Muses with Apollo," 
" Silenus and Boys," " Bacchanals," " Fauns," " Sacrifice 
to Pan," and the " Marriage of Cupid and Psyche," one of 
his most charming designs. He was particularly felicitous 
in his delineations of childhood, and his cupids, children 
playing with animals, etc., were most popular, and made 
beautiful many pieces of " useful ware," as well as being 
applied to the choicer *' ornaments." 

It is not possible here to go into a detailed account 
of John Flaxman's career. Sufficiently well known is his 
trip to Rome in 1787, for which Josiah Wedgwood ad- 
vanced the money. Many and beautiful were the designs 
and models he sent home to Etruria, not his work alone, 
but work done by others under his direction. He com- 
pleted several commissions of his own for sculptures during 
his seven years' residence in Rome, and returned to England 
but one year before the death of his generous patron. 

It was to the basaltes vases that the charming design of 

44 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

the " Dancing Hours " by Flaxman was first applied, and 
achieved great popularity. Wedgwood himself says of these 
basaltes vases in his catalogue for 1779: ''There are a 
great variety of forms, chiefly Grecian or Etruscan; the 
sizes from three or four inches high to more than two feet. 
The prices from seven shillings and sixpence a piece to 
three or four guineas, excluding the very large ones, and 
those pieces which consist of many parts, and are very highly 
finished. The sets of five pieces for chimney-pieces, sell 
from about two guineas to six or seven guineas a set. From 
all the specimens we have seen, and the observations of 
others, we have reason to conclude that there are not any 
vases of porcelain, marble or bronze, either ancient or mod- 
ern, so highly finished and sharp in their ornaments as these 
black vases; and on this account, together with the pre 
cision of their outlines, and the simplicity of their antique 
forms, they have had the honour of being highly and fre- 
quently recommended by many of the connoisseurs in Eu- 
rope; and of being placed amongst the finest productions 
of the age, in the palaces and cabinets of several princes." 

Portrait medallions in black basaltes, while not as popular 
as those in jasper, were much in demand by the " nobility 
and gentry." A set of portraits known as " Illustrious 
Moderns " were made in basaltes as well as in a creamy 
white biscuit, but after the discovery of jasper and Its ap- 
plication to this use about 1777, this material was the most 
used. A basaltes portrait of Josiah Wedgwood, modelled 
by William Hackwood and signed W. H., is given in 
Figure 15. 

A pair of black basaltes vases decorated with the reliefs 
of the " Dancing Hours " by Flaxman brought at the 
Wills sale $370. They were unusually small, 7^ inches 
high, and marked. A pair ii| inches high with handles of 

45 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

masks and serpents, date 1790, brought $260. A single 
vase, basal tes, 1775, 11 inches high, with medallion (Three 
Graces), by Flaxman, $50. 

Plinths, or the bases on which vases of other materials 
were mounted, were often made of basaltes, frequently 
very highly polished. Impressions from cameos were also 
made in this black ware, to be used either for rings, seals, 
bracelets or lockets, and proved exceedingly durable. They 
varied In size from ^ of an inch to 2 inches, and may oc- 
casionally be found as large as 2% inches, but these were for 
cabinet use. Both the medallions and intaglios in basaltes 
were much pirated, but the excellence of Wedgwood's 
pieces, the perfection of the field on which the raised por- 
tion of the medallion is placed, the finish of this latter, the 
careful undercutting, are unmistakable. 

In the last edition of the catalogue. 1787, Wedgwood 
writes about them as follows: "The Intaglios, as now im- 
proved, take a good polish; and when polished have exactly 
the effect of fine black basaltes or jasper. Another method 
has been discovered of adding very considerably to their 
beauty, by making the intaglio part black, and the flat 
surface blue and highly polished, by which means they 
are made to imitate the black and blue onyx, (or niccolo) 
with great exactness, and become equally ornamental for 
rings as for seals. They are now made and polished, in 
imitation of various coloured agates and other stones and in 
cyphers, with the letters of one colour and the ground of 
another. The correct sharpness and superior hardness of 
these intaglios have now been sufficiently ascertained by 
experience." 

When the intaglios and cameos left the works, they were 
carefully wrapped in papers which had the name of the 
subject and catalogue number printed on it. Impressed on 

46 




Fig. is. Josiah Wedgwood. 





Fig. I 6a. A Vestal. 



Fig. i6b. Georgb Whitfield. 



:l 



M 



^^%%&&^ P 







Q- 



:^' 



\J/-' 



6 



Fig. 17. Cameos Mounted ix Gold. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

some of the pieces is the catalogue number, which in such 
cases can be identified, and on the larger ones may some- 
times be found the letters, W. & B. A beautiful example 
"A Vestal " 15I in. high is given in Figure 16. 

By far the greater number of busts made by Wedgwood 
were in basaltes, but there were occasional ones in cane- 
colour, in red ware and in white terra-cotta. 

Not only were they made in plain black basaltes, but 
also in " bronzed ware," which was the basaltes covered 
with a bronzed powder and fired. Few of these bronzed 
were made since the plain basaltes was so much more 
popular. 

The first subjects made, a little prior to 1773, were Cic- 
ero, Horace, George II. The work of making them, first 
modelling them, then preparing the moulds took much 
time, but by 1775, a large number in various sizes, and 
different representations of the same person, were put on 
the market. 

They never were cheap — in 1775 the wholesale prices 
of the largest sized busts being, Homer, £3 3s.; Cicero, 
£2 2s. ; Venus de Medici, £2 2S. ; etc. 

In 1866, at Christie's one of these large busts sold for 
£17 17s., and they have grown very difficult to find. There 
were a number of them at the sale of the Wills collection 
in 1908; one of Cicero, modelled by Bacon, 10 inches high, 
date 1777, marked Wedgwood & Bentley, with name of 
subjects in incised letters, brought $80. This bust was 
one of those originally bronzed, but this had worn off, 
showing the basaltes. There was one of the " Antinous," 
modelled by Flaxman, 21 inches high, name of subject and 
Wedgwood & Bentley incised on back, date 1774. Brought 
$110, 

Another bust, originally bronzed, 10 inches high," Seneca," 

47 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

modelled by Bacon, marked twice, on back and on base, with 
name of subject incised, date 1777. Brought $42.50. After 
the death of Bentley these busts were marked " Wedg- 
wood," and occasionally a single letter or figure was added, 
meaning superior quality. The letter O and figure 3, used 
together or separately, indicate the best quality and period. 
They are always found in connection with the name. It 
should be remembered that when three capital letters are 
used together, the piece on which they are found is com- 
paratively modern, not going further back than 1845. 

Under the head of " basaltes " should also be placed 
those vases called by Wedgwood " Etruscan and Grecian 
Painted." 

It is in connection with these vases that Wedgwood 
took out the only patent he ever applied for to protect his 
inventions. This was in November, 1769. It was not 
long before imitations of the Grecian vases were on the 
market, made in clumsy fashion by Neale and Palmer, pot- 
ters of Hanley. In 1771 a compromise was agreed on. 
Neale and Palmer were allowed to have a share in the 
patent, and they made, till 1778, many of these encaustic 
painted vases. 

The first of these vases produced by Wedgwood were 
crude, but as the methods were perfected, they increased 
in beauty, and two skilful painters, Rhodes and Crofts, 
decorated the vases. Later in addition to these two_, were 
Mr, and Mrs. Wilcox, who painted at Etruria and Chel- 
sea. The clever work of the latter in figures was much 
admired. She died in 1776. There were also Thomas 
Glover, Christopher Taylor, Simcock, Hutchins, Denby, 
Browne, Cooper, Bakeweil, George Barrett, L. F. Roubi- 
liac, Le Brun, Aaron Steel and Ralph Unwin. 

To Steel was assigned the work of painting the drapery, 

48 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

etc., on the choicest encaustic vases, and from 1784, when 
he first signed an agreement with Wedgwood, till almost 
a quarter of a century later, he still worked for the firm. 
The decorating shops were in London and Chelsea, and al- 
though the first vases were made as early as 1768, the best 
period was embraced between the years 1 777-1 795. 

The expense of producing these vases was great, but after 
a time the design was printed on, and filled in by hand. There 
was great demand for these vases, and from persons able to 
pay the highest price, so eventually there were three styles, 
those entirely hand painted, running from fifteen guineas 
up; those partly printed then filled in by hand, and those 
entirely printed. These latter were small, and not by any 
means high class, but there was, nevertheless, a demand for 
them wherever the more costly ones went. The subjects 
employed on these vases were taken from antique bas-re- 
liefs, paintings and gems. They were sold singly, in pairs, 
sets of three and five for mantel shelves, and sometimes 
even in sets of seven. There were also encaustic tablets 
for chimney pieces and wall decoration, with the same 
subjects as the vases. They do not seem to have been made 
in very large quantities, however. 

At the Russian court, in Italy, the home of art, and in 
Holland too, these splendid examples of encaustic paintings 
found homes. They could not be too long or too costly; 
even one vase seven feet high, which was a show-room or- 
nament in Greek Street, found a purchaser in a German 
prince. 

Nor can the American colonies be left out. They were 
appreciative buyers of Wedgwood's choicest wares. One of 
these encaustic vases which was bought at the sale of Mr, 
Aspinwall's collection in New York, has weathered many 
a housemaid's duster, and is now passing a revered old age, 

49 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

in a sheltered cabinet. At one time it was thought to be 
broken, but on examination it was found that the iron screw 
which held the foot to the body of the vase, had rusted 
out, a sure sign of its age. Indeed these iron screws are 
one of the indications of the " Old Wedgwood " period, 
though sometimes, as in this case, they have had to be re- 
placed. 

While basaltes was the body used for the encaustic 
vases, it was occasionally chemically treated so that it took 
on a brownish or bluish cast. 

As in the basaltes vases themselves, when in the encaustic 
vases the ground was left black, it might be shining or a 
dead black. 



50 



BUSTS IN BASALTES 





25 


inches high 


M. AuRELius Antoninus 


Marcus Brutus 


Lord Chatham 






Pindar 


'Zeno 






Homer 


Plato 






Cornelius de Witt 


Epicurus 






John de Witt 


Junius Brutus 










22 


inches high 


Antinous 






Palladio 


Augustus 






Demosthenes 


Antoninus Pius 






Minerva 


Inigo Jones 










20 


inches high 


Cato 






Dr. Swift 


Faustina 






Horace 


Rousseau 






Grotius 


Cicero 






Seneca 


Socrates 










18 


inches high 


Lord Bacon 






Newton 


Johnson 






Venus de Medici 


Raleigh 






Boyle 



51 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

l6| INCHES HIGH 

Young Germanicus Agrippina 

Young Marcus Aurelius Dr. Fothergill 







15 


INCHES HIGH 


Homer 






Pope 


Democritus 






Plato 


Hippocrates 






Sappho 


Galen 






Julia 


Aristotle 






Seneca 


Cicero 






Virgil 


Vestal 






Addison 


ZiNGARA 






Dryden 


Chaucer 






Horace 


Beaumont 






JONSON 


Fletcher 






Spenser 


Shakespeare 






Madonna 


Milton 






Locke 


Congreve 






Newton 


Prior 






BOERHAAVE 


Swift 






Michael de Ruyter 




ID TO 


[i| inches high 


Cicero 






George I. 


Locke 






Voltaire 


Newton 










7 


AND 


8 inches high 


Socrates 






Newton 


Aristotle 






Locke 


Marcus Antony 




Prior 


Cleopatra (reclining) 


Congreve 



52 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

4 TO 4^ INCHES HIGH 



Homer 
Bacchus 
Ariadne 
Montesquieu 



Rousseau 
Pindar 
Aristophanes 
Voltaire 



53 



JASPER WARE 

1775-1795 

THE jasper ware as perfected by Wedgwood is con- 
sidered the most successful of his numerous prod- 
ucts. The body is white and resembles terra- 
cotta in appearance; its ingredients were barytes, 
barium carbonate, clay and flint. The use of barytes (barium 
sulphate) gave to the body a texture of great beauty, almost 
as translucent as porcelain, and capable of being stained 
with the metallic oxides. The principal colours produced 
in the jasper were seven in number, the familiar dark blue, 
a medium blue, two shades of green, lavender or lilac, a 
fine black more translucent than basaltes, and a splendid 
yellow. Chocolate brown and a cold shade of grey were 
also developed, the brown often being used in the shape of 
small ornaments on fields of another colour. 

The perfected jasper was the result of years of careful 
study, of endless experiments of which careful notes were 
kept, and of a patience which was almost phenomenal. Mr. 
Burton in his " English Earthenware and Stoneware" says: 
" Among the white minerals with which he was experiment- 
ing in 1773 were the native spars or earths containing 
barium. From the lead mines of Derbyshire he obtained 
both barium sulphate, known as ' heavy spar ' or ' cawk,' 
and barium carbonate. At first he was much puzzled at 
the different behaviour of these two minerals when they 
were fired with mixtures of clay and flint; and as he does 
not seem to have known the simple method of distinguish- 

54 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

ing between them by the mere action of a drop of acid, it 
took him considerable time and experiment to discover that 
barium sulphate or barytes was the mineral which would 
answer his purposes, while the carbonate could only be used 
in exceedingly small quantities to increase the fusibility of 
the mixtures. He appears to have tried these new ingredi- 
ents with every variety of white-burning clay, such as the 
plastic tertiary clays of Dorset and Devon, and the white 
china clay of Cornwall, along with varying proportions of 
flint and Cornish stone." 

By the end of 1776 perfection was attained both in the 
body and means for firing it, and Wedgwood endeavoured 
to keep secret the composition of the new body. He writes 
to Bentley: "You can hardly conceive the difficulty and 
trouble I have had in mixing two tons of this composition, 
and leaving everybody as wise as they were." 

Miss Meteyard says: "At Etruria Hall, the places are 
still to be seen in which Wedgwood stored the cawk and 
other materials, and made his secret mixtures. They are a 
range of cellars shut off from the rest by thick partition 
walls and heavy doors. Wedgwood's means of access was 
a trap-door, and a flight of narrow brick steps leading from 
a room which was probably his study. The trap-door steps 
ended in a wide passage, and from this opened a door to the 
outer air, as also the cellar In which the mixtures were made, 
the bins or troughs still remaining." 

The colouring matter was originally applied to the entire 
body, but this was found to be very costly, so by 1777 the 
method of " jasper dip " or staining only the surface was 
introduced, and at the time of Bentley's death in 1780 was 
generally used. 

The application of figures and ornaments to the coloured 
grounds was the same which had long been In use in the 

55 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Potteries, and was called " sprigging." The moulds were 
formed in plaster-of-Paris, or were " pitcher moulds," 
which were made of clay and then fired. Into these moulds 
were pressed bits of white jasper which were crowded down 
into every cranny by the potter's thumb. This gave the name 
of " thumb moulds " to these articles. When the mould 
was filled all the extra clay was scraped off and a short 
time was allowed for drying. Then the ornament was 
taken from the mould, and stuck in place on the object, a 
little water having been washed over the jasper so that the 
ornament would adhere to it. Not till the piece had left 
the lapidary's hands were the vicissitudes to which it was 
subjected, over, for the ornament might shrink away from 
the field in firing, the colour might be ruined by gases, the 
undercutting might not be done with precision, or it might 
be over done, in which case the body showed through too 
plainly. 

The small cameos were fired once, but all the larger or 
finer pieces, twice. Wedgwood himself says: "When the 
workman has finished them they have a long and hazardous 
fire to pass through, which with the polishing and finishing 
afterwards, takes near a week, and in this burning they are 
liable to various and unavoidable accident, in which case 
we are obliged to make them over again and this doubles 
the time." 

Yet with all these things to guard against, thousands of 
perfect pieces were produced each year, the trained workers 
under Wedgwood's superintendence working with marvel- 
lous exactitude. There seems to have been no article which 
was susceptible of being made in clay, of too dainty or ele- 
gant a character for Wedgwood to attempt in his jasper. 
Exquisite sets mounted in gold like the set of ornaments in 
Figure 17 were made in quantities, and many small and 

56 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS miTATORS 

perfect copies of antique gems were set as buckles, buttons 
or pins, with a brilliant mounting of cut steel, which was 
even more effective than gold. 

The following list from IVIiss Meteyard's " Handbook " 
shows to how many purposes the cameos were applied : 
Rings, chatelaines, chains, scarf pins, hair pins, pins for hats, 
watches, buckles of all descriptions, bracelets, brooches, 
watch keys, lockets, coat buttons, opera glasses, smelling 
bottles, snuff boxes. Etui cases, patch boxes, toilet and work 
boxes, desks, hangers, swords, daggers, door handles, bell 
pulls, cloak pins, window shutters, metal vases, metal urns, 
metal boxes, lamps, coach panels, chests of drawers, chimney 
pieces, cabinets, chairs, swivels and buffets. 

Strings of jasper beads with decoration of stars were much 
in demand, and were made in all the exquisite shades of 
jasper. Smelling bottles of many shapes were popular, and 
sold wholesale from 7s. 6d. to 13s. 6d. each. 

A string of the star beads brought at the Wills sale 
$57.50. The scent bottles have increased a hundred fold 
in value, a small one, blue and white, with decorations by 
Flaxman, bringing $18. 

The small cameos with coloured grounds for rings or 
bracelets, were sold in sets of not less than ten for five 
shillings each. Like the intaglios, the cameos were made 
in minute sizes, running from one-quarter of an inch to two 
and a half inches. The average size was one, or one and a 
half inches. 

While the name of *' cameos " was not applied to these 
objects till 1772, so many were made that by 1777 there 
were 441 subjects, many of them made from moulds sup- 
plied by Tassie, or taken from gems lent to Wedgwood, or 
from moulds made by Flaxman. From 1779 to 1795 was 
the best period of the cameos. After 1787 every difficulty 

57 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

in regard to the making of the cameos had been surmounted, 
and not only were the most minute and exquisite figures, 
groups, heads and portraits successfully produced, but the 
smallest and most beautiful borders, like some of those on 
the cameos shown in Figure 17, applied. 

There is great difficulty now in " naming" the various 
cameos, which might have been averted as far as those which 
are catalogued go, if the catalogue number had been put on 
them. Some of them bear the name of the subject, many 
were made after the last issue of the catalogue, and those 
that were sold in sets are now in most cases separated. 
Some examples are shown in Figure 18. 

The subjects embraced in the cameos were, " Egyptian 
Mythology," " Greek and Roman Mythology," " Sacri- 
fices," " Ancient Philosophers, Poets and Orators," " Sov- 
ereigns of Macedonia," " Fabulous Age of the Greeks," 
" War of Troy," " Roman History," " Masks, Chimaeras, 
etc.," " Illustrious Moderns," and " Miscellaneous." 

The jasper vases, classic in shape, enriched with patterns 
and designs of greatest perfection, are the aim of every col- 
lector of " Old Wedgwood." In none of Wedgwood's 
products is attention to detail so carefully observed, every 
slightest part of the decoration being admirable, both in 
design and workmanship. In writing to Sir William Ham- 
ilton, long a friend and patron, Wedgwood says in 1786, 
in reference to the vases, " every ornament and leaf being 
first made in a separate mould, then laid upon the vase with 
great care and accuracy, and afterwards wrought over again 
upon the vase Itself by an artist equal to the work, for from 
the beginning I determined to spare neither time nor ex- 
pense in modelling and finishing my ornaments." 

The vase shown in the Frontispiece was made by Wedg- 
wood In 1786 for the British Museum, where it now Is. 

58 




Fig. 21. Marriage of Cui-id and Psyche. 




Fig. 22. Garden of thf, IIesperides. 




Fig. J3. Choice of Hercules. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Wedgwood in writing to Sir William Hamilton about it, 
calls it, " The finest and most perfect I have ever made." It 
is eighteen inches high, with Flaxman's design of the 
" Apotheosis of Homer " and with a figure of Pegasus on 
the top of the cover. 

When these vases were made the price was twenty 
guineas. Not one of such quality was offered at the Wilh 
sale, and they seldom come into the market, being snapped 
up immediately at private sale. In 1877 ^t the sale of the 
collection of Doctor Sibson in England, one of these Hom- 
eric vases in black and white jasper brought 700 guineas. 
Only three of them in black and white are known, and as 
it happens all three are owned in Scotland, one collector. 
Lord Tweedmouth, having two of them. 

Figure 19 shows a vase, Grecian in shape and in black 
and white jasper, which is a great favourite with collectors. 
The beautiful wreath about the neck, and the husk pattern 
which adorns the body are made with exquisite exactness. 
This black and white jasper is alwaj's elegant no matter 
what object is made in it, and what a wealth of ornamen- 
tation was lavished on some of the tea-services is shown in 
Figure 20, where the festoons and masks are so closely set 
as to leave exposed only small portions of the field. 

It is difficult to speak with sufficient restraint of such 
works of beauty as the three following tablets. Figures 21, 
22, 23. The first one, " The Marriage of Cupid and 
Psyche," was taken from an antique gem belonging to the 
Duke of Marlborough, and the first model was made by 
Tassie. In 1787 it was re-modelled by Lochee, who was at 
Blenheim for that purpose. This lovely group was made in 
sizes from one small enough for a lady's ring, to one large 
enough to set in a chimney-piece, or in furniture. The 
large ones were ii| by 16 inches, and they were made in 

59 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

biscuit and uncolourcd jasper, but are most lovely in jasper 
with a coloured ground. 

Early tablets were pressed complete from plaster-of-Paris 
moulds, carefully re-touched with modelling tools. Some- 
times these had a frame of the material which was stamped 
from the same mould with the tablet, but as these frames 
gave a clumsy look to the tablets, Wedgwood discontinued 
making them. It was only after repeated experiments that 
Wedgwood approached perfection in making the large tab- 
lets. The early ones were small, 6 by 9, generally, but by 
1773 some 20 by 14^ inches had been satisfactorily made. 
By 1779 panels 30 inches long had been produced, and 
finally some were made 36 by 24. These tablets were fired 
twice, one whole w^ek being taken for each firing, and in 
drying and firing the shrinkage was about one-eighth of an 
inch. 

The sizes set down In the catalogue are not always exact 
with the specimens, sometimes varying almost half an inch; 
in the busts and figures the variation is greater. These 
large pieces, particularly the panels, were never cheap; they 
took too much time and labour to allow that, and in 1 779 
" The Marriage of Cupid and Psyche," with a dark blue 
ground, 10 inches long, was sold wholesale, for £5 5s. In 
1787 tablets the same size as the one in Figure 21 were 
invoiced at £12 12s. each. At the Wills sale, a fire-cracked 
copy, 10 by 7, in blue and white, sold for $50. In 1884 at 
Christie's a large-sized perfect tablet of " The Marriage " 
brought £415. At these same rooms on March 13, 1903, 
were sold a pair of oblong panels, decoration not specified, 
size 5 by I2!i, for £102 lOs. At the same time and place 
a collection of small medallions brought £35 14s., and a 
poor copy of the Barberini vase sold for £126. 

" Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides," Figure 22, 

60 




Fig. 25. Barberini Vase. Fig. 26. Rosso-antico. 




Fig. 24. Apotheosis op N^irgil. 





Fu-.. 27. Cane-coloured Ware. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

was modelled by Flaxman in 1787, from an Etruscan vase 
now in the British Museum, but formerly in the possession 
of Sir William Hamilton. The panel is 5^ by 17, and the 
exquisite beauty of the figures needs no words to extol them. 
They were first used as a tablet, but subsequently adapted 
to vases. In Flaxman's bill to Wedgwood for the year 
1787, the bas-relief for these figures is mentioned particu- 
larly, and Flaxman's charge for it was £23. 

" The Judgment of Hercules " in the lower panel was 
made in many sizes, and as it says in the catalogue, " was 
modelled agreeably to Lord Shaftesbur>''s idea of represent- 
ing this subject." It appears in all editions of the catalogue, 
so was modelled before 1773. This "Judgment of Her- 
cules," in size 6 by 18 inches, occasionally appears upon a 
pink ground. Mr. Arthur Sanderson of Edinburgh, Scot- 
land, has one showing the three central figures only. Panels 
with this colouring are extremely rare, and in all England 
but one medallion made in it could be found to exhibit at 
a loan exhibition of " Old Wedgwood " held at Liverpool 
a short time since. 

The circular panel, " Apotheosis of Virgil," Figure 24, 
modelled by Flaxman, appears only in the last edition of the 
catalogue, 1787, although it was made originally for a 
mantel-piece at Longton Hall, and was referred to as early 
as 1777. 

The Barberini vase is commonly spoken of as the most 
famous of all of Wedgwood's productions, see Figure 25. 
The celebrated original, exhumed in 1623 when Maffeo 
Barberini, as Urban VIII sat in the Papal chair, is called 
after him. In 1784 Sir William Hamilton brought it to 
England and sold it to the Duchess of Portland. Shortly 
after, in 1785, on the death of the Duchess it was sold among 
her effects, and bought in by her son, who found a spirited 

61 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

competitor in Wedgwood. The Duke lent the vase to 
Wedgwood (he paid £1029 for it), and the latter with his 
most able assistants was four years in making the moulds 
and perfecting the colour. 

The difficulty of reproducing in jasper a vase which was 
formed of glass seemed at first almost insuperable. But 
constant experiments at last brought success, and the won- 
derful blue-black of the body, which was due to the careful 
work of Josiah Wedgwood the younger, was a fit back- 
ground for the fine bas-reliefs which went on it, and which 
were modelled by Henry Webber, William Wood and 
William Hackwood. The original had been buried so long, 
the sarcophagus in which it was found was dedicated to the 
ashes of the Emperor Alexander Severus and his mother, 
who perished during a revolt in Gaul, A. D. 235, that some 
of the reliefs were damaged by time. These were restored 
in the moulds, but otherwise, as to size, 10 inches high by 
7 inches in the largest part, colour, polish, etc., the vase was 
copied exactly. 

It is stated that fifty copies were made by Wedgwood 
himself, but it seems to be a fact that only about twenty 
were made in his time, and not more than fifty during the 
period between 1 789-1810. The highest price which has 
been paid so far for one of these proof copies was given 
for the vase which belonged to Mr. J. L. Propert and which 
was sold at auction in 1902 at Christie's. Mrs. Spranger 
paid £399 for it, and besides being of the greatest perfec- 
tion, the ground is more slate-coloured than blue, and has 
quite a gloss. 

Copies of this vase are made to-day by the Wedgwood 
firm, and many potters in many countries have pirated it. 
An inferior copy was disposed of among the Wills collec- 
tion, and even with its defects, brought $550. 

62 



BAS-RELIEFS AND TABLETS 

A PARTIAL list of the subjects used In medallions 
and bas-reliefs follows, with, when possible, the 
name of the artist or the source from whence it 
was derived. These scenes are also found on the 
vases, and in many cases the figures are differently grouped, 
or as in the case of small medallions used separately. While 
those subjects taken from the antique never came up to the 
beauty and finish of the original, those modelled by Flaxman 
are extremely beautiful, and many have the merit of origi- 
nality. The charming series from Mrs. Landre, the " Do- 
mestic Employments," by Miss Crewe, and the children and 
cupidons by Lady Templetown (so spelled in the British 
Museum Catalogue), are all delightful. 

Birth of Bacchus. 

War of Jupiter and the Titans. 

Destruction of Niobe's Children. 

Marriage supper of Perseus and Andromeda. 

Jupiter and Ganymedes. 

Apollo and Marsyas. Mrs. Landre. 

Apollo and Daphne. " " 

Apollo and Python. 

Judgment of Midas. 

Bacchanalian boys at play. 

Silenus and boys. 

Bacchus and panther. 

Hercules and Omphale. 

63 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Cupid shapino; his bow, from painting by Correggio. 

Sacrifice to ^sculapius. 

The Graces, by Burch. 

The Marriage of Cupid and Psyche, modelled by Tas- 

sle and later by Lochee. 
The Judgment of Paris. 
Cassandra. Bacon. 

Diomedes carrying away the palladium. Bacon. 
Farnesian Hercules. 

Althea, mother of Meleager, burning the firebrand. 
Somus, or Cupid reposing, T. Parker, 1769. 
Judgment of Hercules, after Lord Shaftesbury's idea. 
Death of a Roman warrior. 
Hercules and Theseus supporting the world. 
Night. 

Day. These were made in 20-inch and in 7-Inch sizes. 
Meleager and Atalanta killing the Calydonian boar. 
The Arts. 
Fire; Air; Earth and Water, from casts by Grant and 

Hoskins. 
Head of Medusa, from a marble, by Flaxman, 1776. 
Jupiter, Flaxman, 1775. 
Juno; Apollo; A Muse, Flaxman, 1775. 
Contemplative Muse, Flaxman, 1775. 
Hercules strangling the lion, Flaxman, 1775. 
Hercules binding Cerberus, Flaxman, 1775. 
Meleager; Justice; Minerva; Hope; Melpomene; 

Comedy, all by Flaxman, 1775. 
Dancing Nymph ; Head of Bacchus ; Head of Ariadne, 

Flaxman, 1775. 
Spring; Summer; Autumn; Winter, all by Flaxman, 

heads, 1775. 
Isis; Ariadne; Bacchus and Pan, heads, Flaxman, 1776. 
64 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Syrinx, a head. This and " Pan " come in white jasper 
and are specially referred to by Wedgwood. Mod- 
elled by Flaxman, 1776. 

Perseus and Andromeda, Flaxman. 

^sculapius; Hygiea; Artemisia; A vestal, Flaxman. 

Fauns sacrificing, Flaxman. 

Cupid on a lion; Indian Bacchus; Roman Matron; 
Sophonisba, Flaxman, 1776. 

Hercules; A piping Faun, Flaxman, 1776. 

Abundantia, Flaxman. 

Medea rejuvenating Jason's father, Flaxman. 

Bacchanalian Triumph, Flaxman. 

Male figure with greyhound, Flaxman. 

Hebe and eagle, Flaxman. 

Juno; Euterpe; Fame, Flaxman. 

Head of Flora, Flaxman. 

Sleeping Venus, Flaxman. 

Diomedes carrying ofiE the palladium, Flaxman. 

Triumph of Ariadne, Flaxman. 

Winged Cupid with swan, Flaxman. 

Ditto, flying away with the swan, Flaxman. 

Judgment of Paris, Flaxman. 

Triumph of Silenus, Flaxman. 

Sacrifice to Hymen, Flaxman. 

Apotheosis of Homer, Flaxman. 

The Nine Muses, Flaxman. 

The Muses with Apollo, Flaxman. 

The Dancing Hours, Flaxman, 1776. 

The Nine Muses and Apollo in separate pieces, Flax- 
man. 

Tragedy, Comedy and Apollo, Flaxman. 

The Four Seasons in separate pieces, Flaxman. 

Blindman's Buf^, Flaxman, 1782. 
65 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Commercial Treaty with France, Flaxman, 1787, 

Coriolanus with his wife and mother persuading him 
to return to Rome, Flaxman. 

Apotheosis of Virgil, Flaxman. 

Diana visiting Endymion, from the Capitol at Rome, 
Flaxman. 

Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides, modelled 
from a vase, Flaxman. 

An offering to Ceres, Flaxman. 

Agamemnon, Achilles and Briesis, Flaxman. 

Birth of Bacchus, Hackwood. 

Indian Bacchus, Hackwood, 1776. 

Triumph of Bacchus, Hackwood, 

Teletes and Socrates, a masque, Hackwood. 

Bacchanalian Figure from an antique vase, Mrs. 
Landre. There were five of these figures all mod- 
elled in the same year, 1769. 

A Philosopher reading on the immortality of the soul, 
Landre. 

Dead Jesus with Virgin and boys, Landre. 

Cupid inflaming the mind, and Cupid and Hymen, 
were from casts by Grant and Hoskins, 1774. 

Andromache, Bacon, 1777. 

An offering to Flora, Bacon, 1778. 

An offering to Peace, Lady Templetown, 1777. 

Domestic Employment, Lady Templetown. 

Family School, Lady Templetown. 

Study, and its companion. Lady Templetown. 

Maria, and the Bourbonnais shepherd. Lady Temple- 
town. 

Genii, by Lady Templetown. 

Companion to the latter. Lady Templetown. 

Sportive Love, Lady Templetown. 
66 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Charlotte at the Tomb of Werther, Lady Temple- 
town. 

Contemplation, and its companion, Lady Templetown. 

A Triumph of Mars, Webber. 

A boy leaning on his quiver, with doves, Webber. 

Hebe; its companion, Webber. 

Peace, Labour and Plenty, Webber. 

Masque of Alexander, Webber. 

Triumph of Mars, Webber. 

Nymphs decorating the statue of Priapus, Webber. 

Sacrifice to Hymen, Webber. 

Sacrifice to Concordia, Webber. 

The Graces erecting the statue of Cupid, Webber. 

Domestic Employment, by Miss Crewe. 

The Sewing Lesson, Miss Crewe. 

Venus in her car, from design by Le Brun. 

Group of boys, by Lady Beauclerk. 

Infant Academy, from painting by Reynolds. 

Proserpine, by Davaere. 

Discovery of Achilles, Davaere. 

Orestes and Pylades prisoners on the shore of Scythica, 
Davaere. 

Achilles and the daughters of Lycomedes, Davaere. 

The Muses with reclining figures, Pacetti. 

Priam kneeling to Achilles and asking for the body of 
Hector, Pacetti. 

The fable of Prometheus, Pacetti. 

The triform goddess Luna, Diana, and Hecate, Pacetti. 

The simulacrum of Hygiea, Pacetti. 

A Faun with three Bacchantes, Pacetti. 

Endymion sleeping on the rock Latmos. 

JMarcus Aurelius making his son Commodus, Caesar, 
Pacetti. 

67 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Apotheosis of Faustina, Pacetti. 

The Nine Muses, Pacetti. 

Thetis in childbed with Achilles, Pacetti. 

The Triumph of Achilles over Hector, Pacetti. 

Apollo and the muse Erato, Angelini, 

Pluto carrying off Proserpine, Angelini. 

The fable of Meleager, Angelini. 

Apotheosis of a young prince, Angelini. 

Two Fauns, Angelini. 

Two Bacchantes, Angelini. 

Silenus, Angelini. 

Pleasures of the Elysian Fields, Angelini. 

The Nereides, Dalmazzoni. 

Roman procession, Dalmazzoni. 

The Vitruvian Scroll, Westmacott, 1785. 

Birth of Bacchus, from seal of Michael Angelo. 

Hero and Leander. 

The frightened horse, from painting by Stubbs. 

The fall of Phaethon, Stubbs. 

Cupid sharpening arrows and stringing bow, two me- 
dallions from painting by Correggio. See cover and 
title page. 

Thetib presenting Achilles to the Centaur, Pacetti, 
1790. 

Sacrifice of Iphigenia, Pacetti, 1790. 

Achilles and Chiron. 

The Muses watering Pegasus in Helicon, Flaxman. 

Battle of the Giants, medallions for mantels. 

Dancing Nymphs, from Herculaneum paintings, six of 
these. 

Centaur teaching Achilles Music. 

Feast of the gods. 

Death of NIobe's children. 
68 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Papirius and his Mother. 

Marriage supper of Perseus. 

Marsyas and the young Olympus. 

Night shedding poppies. 

Neptune drawn by sea horses. 

Sacrificial Altar with Bacchic Symbols. 

Bacchus with Urn and grapes, Hackwood, 1780. 

The Elder Sister, Lady Templetown, 1780. 

Cupid with wreath, Flaxman, 1787. 

War of Jupiter and the Titans. 1773. 

Cupid's Triumph, Lady Templetown. 

Cupid frightening his companions with a mask, Lady 

Templetown. 
Cupid playing with Helmet, Bird and Hourglass, Lady 

Templetown. 
Infantile Games. These last four subjects were a series 

much used by Wedgwood, and often pirated. 
Nymph with flowers, Lady Templetown, 1778. 
Hope with anchor, Flaxman, 1777. 
Marsyas teaching his disciple Olympus. 
Diomedes gazing at the Palladium, Bacon, 1777. 
Cupid in the balance, Flaxman. 
Hymettus watering Pegasus, Pacetti. 
Achilles dragging Hector's body round walls of Troy, 

Pacetti. 
Signs of the Zodiac, Hackwood. 
Bacchanalian Triumph, with Bacchus, Ariadne, Si- 

lenus and attendants, Flaxman. 

In the last edition of the catalogue 275 subjects were 
given as being used on tablets and medallions, many sub- 
jects were not catalogued, and Flaxman made many groups 
of children which were not named. 

69 



iWEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

It is practically impossible now to identify many of the 
intaglios and cameos. Mr. C. T. Gatty, to whom was in- 
trusted the task of getting up a catalogue for a " Loan Col- 
lection of Wedgwood for the Liverpool Art Club," found 
great difficulty in ascertaining what the various cameos and 
intaglios were. Besides the catalogues he had the assistance 
of the old moulds at Etruria, and on 600 of these the names 
were scratched. It must be remembered that the list of 
subjects covered many hundreds of subjects. 

Under the head of " Illustrious Moderns " are grouped 
the most interesting of Wedgwood's portrait productions. 
They come in various sizes and in basaltes and blue and 
white jasper. Many of them are of an exceedingly high 
order of workmanship. Occasionally some of the early me- 
dallions of " Illustrious Moderns " will be found in 
creamy, or in a dead white terra-cotta, but these were made 
before the perfection of the jasper body. Some of these 
portraits cannot now be recognised, and there are some 
which are not recorded in the catalogues. 

Lists of them are given, however, to aid in identification. 

The portrait busts in basaltes are usually marked with the 
name of the subject on the back of the bust. As there were 
many made by others than Wedgwood, lists of his are given, 
together with the sizes in which they are found. These 
often vary some fractions of an inch. 



70 



LIST OF "ILLUSTRIOUS MODERNS" 

In black basaltes and blue and white jasper. 
PRINCES 



Amurat I. 

Antonius, Kjng of Na- 
varre. 
Henry IV. of France. 
Louis XIV. 
Louis XV. 
Louis XVI. 
Queen of France. 
Louis Bourbon, Prince 

OF CoNDEo 

King of Spain. 

Pius VI. 

Prince Lambertini. 

Christiana, Queen of 
Sweden. 

Charles XII. of Sweden. 

GusTAvus, King of Swe- 
den. 

Peter the Great of Rus- 
sia. 

Peter Alexis, son of 
Peter the Great, 

Empress of Russia. 

Prince of Russia. 

r- 



Duke of Courland. 

Joseph II. of Germany, 
two models. 

John Sobieski, King of 
Poland. 

Augustus II., King of 

Poland, 

Frederick the Great of 
Prussia. 

Frederick William III. 
OF Prussia, 

Prince of Lignes. 

Prince of Brunswick. 

William I. of the Neth- 
erlands. 

Queen of the Nether- 
lands. 

WiLHELM, first PrINCE 

of Orange. 

Louise de Coligny, Prin- 
cess OF Orange. 

Wilhelm - Frederick, 
hereditary Prince of 

Orange. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 



Queen Elizbeth. 

Princess Fred. Wilhel- 
MiNA Louisa of Or- 
ange. 

Henry IV. 

Charles I. 

Oliver Cromwell. 

Charles II. 

William III. 

George I. 

George II. 

Prince of Wales. 

STATESMEN AND 

Duke de Sully. 
Colbert. 

Cardinal Fleury. 
Cardinal Mazarin. 
Cardinal Noailles. 
Duke de Bouillon. 
M. de Sartine. 
Montesquieu. 
Marshal Turenne. 
Marshal Saxe. 
Temminck, Lord Burgo- 
master. 
Cornelius de Witt. 
John de Witt. 
Michael Ruyter. 
Barneveldt. 
Peter Hein. 
Rombout Hogerboots. 



Princess Dowager of 
Wales. 

George III. 

Queen Charlotte. 

Prince of Wales, after- 
wards George IV. 

Duke of York. 

Prince William Henry. 

Prince Ernest Augustus. 

Prince Augustus Fred- 
erick. 

Prince Adolphus Fred- 
erick. 

COMMANDERS 

Egbert Kortenaar. 

Baron Reden. 

Duke of Bedford, Re- 
gent OF France. 

Algernon Sydney. 

Sir Robert Walpole. 

John, Duke of Marl- 
borough. 

Lord Keppel. 

Lord Hood. 

Lord Howe. 

Lord Nelson. 

Lord Duncan. 

Earl St. Vincent. 

Lord Amherst. 

General Elliot. 

General Monkton. 

General Washington. 



72 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 



Governor Franklin. 
Duke of Northumber- 
land. 
Duke of Montague. 
Marquis of Stafford. 
Marquis of Rockingham. 
Earl of Shannon. 
Earl Cowper. 
Earl of Chatham. 
Earl of Chesterfield. 
Earl of Sandwich. 
Lord Hillsborough. 



Lord Mansfield. 
Lord North, 
Lord Hawkesbury. 
Bishop of St. Asaph. 
Sir John Phillips. 
Sir William Dolben. 
Right Hon. William 

Pitt. 
Hon. Warren Hastings. 
Mr. Montague. 
Endymion Porter. 
Andrew Fountaine. 



PHILOSOPHERS AND NATURALISTS 



Francis Verulam, Lord 

Bacon. 
Galileo. 
Gassendi. 
Descartes. 
Sir Isaac Newton. 
Dr. Franklin (The first 

head of Franklin was 

modelled in 1777.) 
Bergman. 
Dr. Priestley. 
Sir William Hamilton. 
De la Condamine. 
De Moivre. 
D'Alembert. 
Diderot, 
burlamaqui. 

73 



fontenelle. 
Locke. 
Magliabecci. 
Ray. 

Kaempfer. 
Linnaeus. 
Sir Hans Sloane, 
Sir Joseph Banks. 
Dr. Solander. 
Dr. Foster. 
Captain Cook. 
Mr. Pennant. 
Mr. Edwards. 
Mr. Blake, late of Can- 
ton, China. 
Mr. More. 
Sir Ashton Lever. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 
PHYSICIANS 



boerhaave. 
Haller, 
Van Swieten. 
Dr. Friend. 
Dr. Mead. 



Dr. Woodward. 
Dr. Pemberton. 
Dr. Fothergill, 
Dr. James Fordyce. 
Dr. Buchan. 



ENGLISH POETS 



Geoffrey Chaucer. 
John Gower, 
Sir Philip Sidney. 
Spenser. 
Beaumont. 

Shakespeare, several mod- 
els. 
Fletcher. 
Jonson. 
Cowley. 
Milton. 
Butler. 
Rochester. 



Oldham. 

Otway. 

Waller. 

Earl of Surrey. 

Dryden. 

Addison. 

congreve, 

Prior. 

Lansdowne. 

Pope. 

Swift. 

Garrick, several models. 

Milton, two models. 



MOLIERE. 

BOILEAU. 

Crebillon. 
Fontaine. 



FRENCH POETS 

corneille. 

Racine. 

Voltaire. 



Leonardo da Vinci. 
Michael Angelo. 



PAINTERS 

Titian. 



Rafaelle d' Urbino. 



74 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 



GiULio Romano, 
correggio. 
Annibale Carracci. 
Le Sueur. 
Francesco Albano. 



Carlo Marratti. 
Sir Joshua Reynolds. 
Mr. West. 
Mr. Byres. 



ARCHITECTS 



Sir Christopher Wren. 
Inigo Jones. 



Sir William Chambers. 
Mr. Wyatt. 



ANTIQUARIES 



Marquis Maffei, 
Dr. Stukeley. 



Mr. Stuart. 



DIVINES AND MORAL WRITERS 



Melancthon. 

Erasmus. 

Grotius. 

Conyers Middleton. 

Rousseau. 

Montaigne. 



St. Evremond. 

Fenelon, archbishop of 

Cambrai. 
Gonzalez. 

Dr. Johnson, two models. 
Jonas Hanway, 



LADIES 



Marchioness Pompadour. 
Marchioness du Chate- 

let. 
Marchioness de Savigny. 
Countess Grignan. 
Countess de la Sage. 
Countess Barre. 
Madame Dacier. 



Madame Clairon. 
Madame de Scuderi. 
Madame d'Estrees. 
Madame des HouliIres. 
Madame de Montespan. 
Madame du Bocage. 
Agnes Sorel. 
Ninon l'Enclos. 



75 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 



Laura. 

Duchess of Devonshire. 

Lady Banks. 

Lady Charlotte Finch. 



Mrs. Montague. 

Mrs. Barbauld. 

Mrs. Kennicott. 

Mrs. Siddons. 



THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS WERE ADDED 

LATER 



Leopold, Emperor of 
Germany. 

George, Prince of Den- 
mark. 

William, Duke of Glou- 
cester. 

Charles XI. of Sweden. 

Charles Emanuel, Duke 
of Savoy. 

William Maxmilian, 

Duke of Brunswick, 

Lady Orford. 

Mrs. Hay. 

Count Gyllingburg. 

William, Duke of Cum- 
berland. 

The Queen of Denmark. 

Martin Luther. 

Averanius Benedict. 

Martin Ffoulkes. 

Vander Mulan. 

William Bridgeman. 

Dr. Baker. 

Sir John Barnard. 

Gay. 



Addison, described as Bick- 
erstaff. 

Thomson, 

Louis Francis Le Fevre. 

Louis de Boucherat. 

Christia Francia, Du- 
chess OF SUABIA, AND 

Queen of Cyprus. 

Cardinal Rochefou- 
cauld. 

Tellier, Chancellor of 
France. 

Archbishop Laud. 

Biragus Rene. 

Lord Molesworth. 

John Gordon. 

Louis Gervaise. 

William de Lamoignon. 

Lord Camden. 

Nicholas Keder. 

James Stuart. 

Marmontel. 

Coysevox. 

Charles Renald Berch, 

Pascal. 



76 



ROSSO-ANTICO 

1776 

THE ordinary red ware of the Potteries, like the 
basaltes or black ware, had been made from the 
time pot-works had first been established there. 
It was a common, coarse material, not susceptible 
of being made into fine articles until the coming of the Elers 
Brothers about the beginning of the XVIII century, and they 
transformed it into a thing of beauty. 

The Rosso-antico made by Wedgwood was made from the 
same clay that had been used by the Elers, and he glazed 
the insides of his vessels. It never was one of his great 
successes, and his first treatment of it was to ornament it 
with black figures. After much experimenting he reversed 
this order, putting the red figures on a black ground. He 
produced many small and beautiful objects like the lamp 
shown in Figure 26. 

Nothing was too small or simple for Wedgwood to slur 
in its treatment, and on the piece shown is put one of Flax- 
man's masterpieces, " The Muses Watering Pegasus in 
Helicon." The " Signs of the Zodiac " form the border on 
the rim, the beauty and clearness of the figures standing out 
well even in the photograph. 

It was not until 1790 that the red figures were success- 
fully applied to black, and then there was so great a demand 
for the jasper, basaltes and painted vases, that little attention 
was given to the Rosso-antico. 

77 



CANE-COLOURED WARE 

1776-1779-1795 

THE cane-coloured ware, like the bamboo, was one of 
the later productions of Wedgwood's fertile genius. 
When he first made the cane-coloured material it 
was defective, but after repeated experiments he 
succeeded in producing a body which was entirely satis- 
factory. 

Flower pots, stands, teapots and vases were made in this 
material, sometimes decorated in enamel colours, in which 
case the effect is more brilliant than beautiful. Then the 
raised decoration was used, wreaths of grape leaves being 
extremely popular; the colours applied were brown, green, 
slate-grey and black. On some choice specimens white fig- 
ures are used, the same patterns of flowers, figures, cupids, 
etc., as figured on the jasper ware. 

In the vase and basket given in Figure 27 the decoration 
is black and most effective, particularly in the case of the 
vase with its fluted top and base. 



78 



LUSTRE 

1776 

PEARL WARE 

1779 

THE first lustre produced by Wedgwood was made 
about 1776 from a receipt given him by his friend, 
Dr. Fothergill. This was for the application of 
copper or " gold bronze " to a dark body, and was 
intended primarily only for frames. Wedgwood appre- 
ciated the value of the " discovery " and set about applying 
it to other objects. 

Much care had been given by Wedgwood to the shapes 
of candlesticks. Figures, both male and female, had been 
modelled for this purpose, mythology being heavily drawn 
upon, so that there were sea-nymphs, naiads, bacchantes, 
chimaerae and tritons. Many hands had worked on these 
models, the tritons being the most successful. Boot had 
worked on these first, but they had been Improved by 
Bacon. Wedgwood chose these for lustre, and a pair of 
them by Bacon are shown in Figure 28. They are made of 
red clay and silvered, or rather treated with platinum to give 
the silvered effects. So popular did this silvered ware be- 
come that it was applied to tea sets, ewers for water and 
cider, trays, candlesticks, etc. It was first used about 1792 
and continued till 1810 or a little later, the greater part of 
the silvered ware from these potteries being made after the 

79 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

death of Josiah Wedgwood. This is particularly true of 
those pieces treated with " resist " decorations, that is where 
the pattern is removed by a stick and the body of the ware 
shows through the lustre. 

During the year 1779, Wedgwood in response to a de- 
mand for tea-services of a whiter ware than the cream- 
coloured body, made what he called " Pearl ware." Queen 
Charlotte, always a good patron, took one of the first of these 
services. The body was made with a larger proportion of 
china clay and flint, the whiteness being intensified by the 
addition of a trifle of cobalt. One use to which this pearl 
ware was put was the making of shells, a natural form of 
beauty towards which Wedgwood always had a great lean- 
ing. These shells were used for dessert services and were 
coloured exactly to life, and though fragile, were very beau- 
tiful. 

Later on Wedgwood applied lustre to them, " gold lustre " 
it was called, and it was produced by painting with a coat 
of purple of Cassius. Where the tint was thin the colour 
was a purplish-pink, where it was thicker it had gold re- 
flections. 

Two pieces of this lustred ware are shown in Figure 29. 
With the exception of Wedgwood, the gold lustre produced 
by the Staffordshire potters was of poor quality, and even at 
its best the lustre soon dims with wear. Occasionally some 
of the beautiful " twigged baskets " made in cream-coloured 
ware are found decorated with the lustre, but they are about 
as rare as the pearl ware specimens, which either plain or 
with decoration of any description are very difficult to find. 

The marks on Wedgwood partake of the character of all 
of the work. They consist of impressed letters of varying 
sizes, generally extremely clear, and sharply cut. During 
the period of Bentley's partnership, the names Wedgwood 

80 









Fig. 2g. Gold Lustre Ware. 





Fig. 30. Mortar and Pestle. 





Fig. 28. Lustre Candlesticks. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

and Bentley, sometimes accompanied with the word " Etru- 
ria," are found on the ornamentals. The presence of the 
figure 3 and the letter O denote a superior quality of work, 
as does the presence of scrawled workmen's marks. After 
Bentley's death the name Wedgwood was used, and has 
been continuously ever since by the firm. 

The rule can in most cases be safely followed, that marked 
pieces are the only safe ones to buy, for the rule of the pot- 
tery was, that no piece should be sent out un-marked. A 
list of the marks is given, and they vary from 3^2 to an ^ 
of an inch. 



8i 



MORTARS AND PESTLES 

1779 

FOR a number of years, even prior to 1773, vessels 
made by Wedgwood for use in laboratories had 
been in demand. They were so true in shape, so 
admirable in material that chemists sent for them 
from all parts of the world. When the question arose of 
making some body sufficiently hard for mortars, Wedgwood 
found that the material used for his chemical vessels had not 
sufficient resistance, and could not stand a sufficiently hard 
firing. 

He experimented with it, and writes, on May 30, 1779: 
" To cure this body of the malady of blistering it should be 
hid under ground for half a century. I am endeavouring 
to make a new composition without such freaks as render 
the other imperfect." 

How well he succeeded his admirable mortars still at- 
test. See Figure 30. When the material was brought to his 
satisfaction, then he gave his attention to the shaping of 
these articles, his theory being that they should be made on 
a particular curve. Nothing but his own careful study pro- 
duced the proper curve, and Wedgw^ood added to his list 
of triumphs when his mortars stood the test and were taken 
as the standard at Apothecaries' Hall. 

I know a small mortar which has been in active use in 
one family more than a century, its early use being to grind 
salt free from lumps. It is still occasionally put to the same 
use to-day, for the " sake of old times." 

82 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 




BuRSiEM, 1759. Eteuj RIM769. 



Wf Ja*v<5oS <*^^mti^ 



uavA 



V 



Wedgwood 



WEDGWOOD 

WEDGWOOD 

WEDGWOOD 

Wedgwood 

Wfedgwood 
Wedgwnxxl 




WEDGWOOD 
&BENTLEY 



m^ 



f 



WOOi 



WEDGWOOD 

ETRURIA 

WEDGWOOD 
ETRURIA 

Wedgwood 

Etruria 



83 



WILLIAM ADAMS OF GREENGATES 
ADAMS 

1 745- 1 805 

NEXT to that of Wedgwood, the most important 
name among English potters of the last quarter 
of the XVIIIth Century is that of Adams. 
The Adams family was a large and prominent 
one. They had long been potters, and had made many not- 
able improvements in the manufacture of the wares already 
known, even if they had made no absolutely new ones. By 
far the most important member of this interesting family 
was William Adams of Greengates, who was one of Wedg- 
wood's closest friends, and worked for him as pupil and 
associate. 

The Brick House Works at Burslem, which were leased 
by Wedgwood for a number of years before he moved to 
Etruria, belonged to another William Adams, cousin of the 
one of Greengates who became the pupil of Wedgwood, and 
whose work we are studying. It was in these very works 
that William Adams served at least a portion of his appren- 
ticeship, the " one clever pupil " according to Wedgwood 
himself. He eventually became a great helper and assistant 
to Wedgwood, whose attachment to him no doubt kept 
Adams longer an employe than was necessary. 

He did not begin potting for himself till about 1787, at 
Greengates in Tunstall, although he had a small pottery 
at Burslem which he did not use. The one he built at Green- 
gates did not prove large enough for his various activities, so 

84 




Fig. 31. Wine Coolers. 




Adams W'akk. 




Fig. 33. Adams Jasper. Wedgwood Basaltes. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

he bought another one at Newfield, which was within easy 
distance of the former. He made fine earthenware with 
transfer printed patterns, high-class stoneware, and jasper, 
the latter by a formula of his own, and decorated in many 
cases by designs from his own pencil, since he was artist 
as well as master potter. His jasper ware, like that of his 
great master, was of two kinds, the first known as solid 
jasper, in which the colour is incorporated and goes through 
the whole body, and the second, surface jasper, in which 
the plain white body receives a coating of colour. The solid 
jasper in blue, the dark cobalt shade, and a slaty shade on 
which the white figures show to uncommon advantage. 

The more delicate and rarer shades, pale green, lilac, plum, 
olive and pink as well as black, appear only in the surface 
jasper. The demand for some of the chjoicer productions 
of this variety of jasper made by Adams, render specimens 
very valuable. Although undoubtedly an " imitator " and 
copyist, his body, his colour, particularly that peculiar violet 
shade known as " Adams blue," and many of his designs 
were absolutely his own. His borders vi^re often very ex- 
quisite, and one in particular showing entwined circles, was 
in much favour and employed by him on choice specimens of 
jasper both solid and surface. You can see it on the vases 
in Figure 32 and the teapots in Figure 33. One peculiarity 
of this border is, that the circles in white are invariably 
included between two mouldings of the jasper of the same 
colour as the ground. 

The teapots shown here have an interesting history. They 
are of the exquisite " Adams blue," have the interlacing 
circle pattern and the well-known design, "Cupid disarmed," 
from the pencil of Adams himself. One of the pots is dec- 
orated in panels with the divisions marked by acanthus 
leaves, and the other shows on the reverse side " Apollo 

85 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

crowning Virtue " after Angelica Kauffman, which design 
was published in 1782. 

They are six and a half inches high, and were brought to 
America in 1806 by a sea captain. They have never been 
out of the hands of the family to whom they were originally 
given. The basaltes tray in the same picture is marked 
" Wedgwood," impressed, and was found in Leamington, 
Eng. The small creamer is of cane-coloured ware and also 
has the impressed mark of Wedgwood. All of these pieces 
belong to the collection of Mrs. Joseph Farley of Rochester, 
N. Y. 

At the Wills sale of Old Wedgwood, a teapot exactly 
like the first one of these, of Adams ware, but in perfect 
condition, brought $25. One like the second one, " Cupid 
disarmed," brought $23, while a pair of vases nine and a 
half inches high, of " Adams blue " decorated with figures 
similar to those on the teapots, " Nymphs," " Ceres," 
" Cupid disarmed," etc., like those shown on the top shelf 
of Figure 32, brought $70. 

To my mind one of the most exquisite of the XVIIIth 
Century productions was the teapot. Beginning with those 
of red ware turned out by the Elers Brothers in the first ten 
years of the century, and coming down to the last year of the 
last decade, you find endless variety, shape and colour, and 
most of them of tiny size. The reason for the small size was 
clear, 1660 is assigned as the year when tea began to be 
much known in England, and the following handbill issued 
from a well-known dealer in coffee and tobacco, whose shop 
was in Exchange Valley, London, shows its cost: 

" Tea in England in the past hath been sold in the leaf 
for £6 and even £10 the pound weight, and in respect to 
its deamess and scarcity it hath been hitherto suitable only 
to grandees and princes. Know all men that I, having 

86 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

purchased a quantity, sell It either in leaf or drink made ac- 
cording to the directions of the most knowing merchants in 
Eastern countries. By reason of my continued care and in- 
dustry in obtaining only the best tea, very many noblemen, 
physicians and merchants buy of me the said leaf, and re- 
sort daily to my house to drink the drink thereof. Tea of 
the best quality, as good as can be drank in China, from i6 
to 50 shillings a pound." 

For many years after this the precious herb remained far 
too high in price to tempt many except " grandees and 
princes " to indulge in it to any great extent. 

While Adams was a skilful artist with his pencil, he never 
hesitated to employ others when he had the opportunity. 
The vase shown in Figure 34 is exceptionally elegant. It 
is of surface jasper, the handles of snake heads being white 
like the ornaments. The decoration was designed by Mon- 
glott under the direction of Adams, about 1790. It depicts 
" A Sacrifice to Diana " ; reverse, " Arts and Sciences " 
shown by classical figures. Height nine Inches. This vase 
Is in the collection of the Earl of Spencer. Figure 35 shows 
two vases, both blue and white jasper, the first with " Apollo 
crowning Virtue," after a design by Angelica Kauffman, 
published In 1782. Impressed mark, "ADAMS." 

The second shows a design by PacettI, an artist who fur- 
nished many designs and models to Wedgwood, and on this 
vase the mark Is " WEDGWOOD " Impressed. This vase 
Is in the Wedgwood Collection at Nottingham Castle Mu- 
seum, gathered by Mr. Felix Joseph, an expert on Wedg- 
wood, and supposed to show only specimens of what Is 
known as the "period of perfection," 1781-1795. 

The shape of the vases and the lines of the handles are 
neither as pleasing nor as artistic as we expect from Wedg- 
wood. Very similar handles were to be seen on vases bear- 

87 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

ing the Adams mark which were disposed of at the Wills 
sale, as well as on some made by Wedgwood, decorated with 
design by Flaxman and dated 1786. 

There is abundant food for reflection if you study care- 
fully a number of specimens of Wedgwood and Adams jas- 
per. In the vases just spoken of, note the pattern on the 
base ; it was used frequently by Wedgwood on his high-class 
jasper. You will find it again used by Adams on the jasper 
vases shown in Figure 32. 

On the vase in the centre of the bottom row In Figure 32 
you will find a pattern of acanthus leaves used frequently by 
Wedgwood on his " Ornamentals " as well as on his " Use- 
ful ware." He considered it choice enough to combine with 
a border of ** Signs of the Zodiac " modelled by Hackwood. 
It was in use as late as 1794, as marked specimens testify. 

The makers of jasper ware frequently furnished small 
objects to the silversmith for mounting in silver or gold. 
If the objects were of size like pitchers, mugs, wine coolers, 
egg cups, hot water or syrup jugs, they were sent to Shef- 
field for a rim of plate. The objects with metal trimmings 
are rare and consequently in much demand. 

The best artist whom Adams employed was the Swiss, 
named Joseph Monglott. He drew mythological figures 
and groups, and many of the designs of Angelica Kauffman 
were also used. 

Adams' business, while a good one, never equalled in ex- 
tent that of Wedgwood, nor perhaps that of the Turners' 
at their best period. All his products were good, whether 
stoneware, earthenware, painted or printed, or basaltes. He 
was succeeded by his son, Benjamin, who carried on the 
works till 1820, when they were sold. Within recent years 
these works have again come Into hands of the Adams' 
family, not direct descendants of William of Greengates, 





Fig. 34. Adams Jasper. Fig. 36. Cream-coloured Ware, 

Warburton. 




A. Jasper \ ase. niarkeii Adams. B. Jasper X'ase, marked Wedgwood. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

but from a collateral branch. They are trying to preserve 
the traditions of their distinguished relative, and have the 
name still stand for a superior quality of work. 

The mark used by William Adams of Greengates wsls 
simply ADAMS, or ADAMS & CO., impressed. The 
former mark is the one most frequently seen, but the 
ADAMS & CO. is sometimes found on specimens of solid 
jasper. 

William Adams of Greengates must not be confused with 
his relative, Williams Adams of Cobridge, whose blue 
printed ware is so widely and favourably known in America 
by his series of English views. His American scenes in 
various colours are always interesting, and some of the rarer 
pieces fetch good prices. 



89 



THE WARBURTONS 

WARBURTON. 

1710-1825 

THE name Warburton is generally connected with 
Staffordshire figures of more or less excellence, and 
they are assigned to Jacob Warburton of Cobridge, 
who was doing excellent work by 1786, and who 
died at the age of eighty-six in the year 1826. 

But his reputation should not rest upon the figures alone, 
as he made with some success both basal tes and jasper ware, 
and his experiments with cream-coloured ware did much to 
bring it to a state of perfection. The primitive cream-col- 
oured ware was tinted by the glaze which was made by 
combining lead ore with a little flint. 

It was one of the Astburys, as early as 1725, who first 
applied the colour to the body, and Enoch Booth invented 
the fluid glaze which was applied after firing the body to the 
biscuit state. The body Booth used was compounded of 
Devonshire clay, Cornwall clay and flint, with a glaze of red 
lead, flint and clay. The subsequent improvement in the 
body was not only due to the use of new material, chiefly 
Cornish granite and china clay, but to the use of better 
methods in its manufacture, and in both of these the War- 
burtons as well as Wedgwood had a share. 

The use of these new materials did not become known 
till Cookworthy obtained his patent in 1768, and in 1777 he 
sold his patent to a group of Staffordshire potters, composed 
of Samuel Hollins, Anthony Keeling, John Turner, Jacob 
Warburton, William Clowes and Charles Bagnall. 

90 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

As the Warburtons had a hand in the improvement of the 
body of the cream-coloured ware, so, too, in its superior dec- 
oration were they concerned. Hot Lane, where their pot- 
tery was situated, was the place selected by two Dutch dec- 
orators who had come to the Potteries to pursue their busi- 
ness as enamellers, even before the cream-coloured ware had 
been perfected, and before the general use of fluid glaze. 

Salt glaze ware had been brought to a high degree of ex- 
cellence. Its colour was pure white, the body was fine and 
delicate and coloured decoration showed on it to good ad- 
vantage. Indeed, so high in quality was this simple pottery, 
that its Staffordshire makers, ever on the alert to keep a good 
market for their wares, began to use enamels for its decora- 
tion, and for which the very nature of the ware was adapted, 
and which enabled them to compete with the makers of por- 
celain, which had been previously the only material to which 
the enamels had been applied. 

The nature of enamel colours, which contain in addition 
to the pigment a large quantity of flux or glass, requires 
that they should be applied to the fired glaze. On account 
of the presence of the large amount of flux or glass in their 
composition, it is only necessary to bring the china to a 
clear red heat, for which purpose what is known as a " muf- 
fle kiln " is sufficient. Many colours which would burn away 
if fired at the degree of heat necessary for under-glaze paint- 
ing, are at the command of enamellers. If applied thickly 
on the pitted surface of the salt glaze, the enamel was not 
only very brilliant, but had a jewelled effect. 

The Dutchmen settled in Hot Lane bought the salt- 
glazed ware from the potteries near at hand, and set them- 
selves to work to decorate it. They tried their best to keep 
their methods secret, even erecting their muffle kiln at a 
distance from their decorating shop. But in one way or 

91 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

another their methods became known, men came from other 
places in England for the sake of the ware, and decorated 
either on their own account or for the potters, so that in a 
short time Hot Lane was a centre of the enamelling busi- 
ness. 

It is said that Ralph Daniel, a near neighbour of the 
Dutchmen, was the first to imitate their work. The War- 
burtons, also in the neighbourhood, profited by the knowledge 
of this style of decorating which spread through the dis- 
trict, and it was to Mrs. Warburton, the mother of Jacob, 
that Wedgwood intrusted his early cream-coloured ware to 
be decorated with enamel. 

The salt-glazed ware made by the Dutchmen them- 
selves or by the Warburtons, or by Ralph Daniel or other 
local potters who were among the first to employ it, is ex- 
tremely decorative. A cold shade of blue was effectively 
used, designs of Oriental tendency predominated, then floral 
sprigs and sprays with borders of more or less artistic merit 
succeeded and were rich with brilliant colour and jewel-like 
effect. 

Figures and landscapes came in later for their share of 
attention, and even whole backgrounds of the gayest enamels 
surrounded small reserved panels of the white, on which 
were put some ornamental bit of choice painting. A large 
collection of salt-glazed teapots was recently sold at auction. 
They were of the oddest shapes, castles, houses, animals, 
and one, a kneeling camel whose neck and head made the 
spout, had a charming decoration on it of wild flowers in 
their natural colours. The effect was most amusing. 

As salt-glazed ware crowded out the ruder early earthen- 
ware, so cream-coloured ware crowded out salt-glaze. Mr. 
Burton in his " English Earthenware and Stoneware " gives 
the year 1780 as the time when its manufacture was prac- 

92 



w r 



/. 





Fig. 37. Cream-coloured Figures. 



Fig. 38. Jasper Vase. 
^Marked Voyez. 




Fig. 39. Tablet. J. Voyez. 





Fig. 41. Jasper Ware. John Tuknkr. 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

tically abandoned, though, he states, it continued to be 
made in continually decreasing quantities at Burslem till 
1823. 

There are few traces of gold ever to be found on these 
early specimens of Staffordshire wares, since when they did 
use it, the leaf was applied with size, as the method of firing 
it was not known to them till later. Of course it wore off 
very easily, so that only occasional traces of it are found, 
like the faint vine pattern which can be seen on the vase 
shown in Figure 36. 

It was at the Warburtons' pottery in Hot Lane that 
Enoch Booth's invention of fluid glaze was immediately put 
in use, and by 1750 they were utilising it on their wares. It 
was not the custom with the Staffordshire potters to mark 
their wares till about 1 760, so that no doubt many pieces 
of Jacob Warburton's cream-coloured ware are assigned to 
other potters. 

The charming pair of figures shown here. Figure 37, are 
of highly glazed cream-coloured ware, and from the excel- 
lence were probably made about 1780, when the works were 
in a most flourishing condition, for though they had been 
established before 17 10, it was the broad-minded policy of 
Jacob Warburton, who made the name still further distin- 
guished. He, like Wedgwood, appreciated that there was a 
necessity for distributing their wares after making them, and 
it was not long before he found that even the great fairs 
like Stourbridge, Bury, and Bartholomew and travelling 
peddlers besides would not dispose of their productions. So 
not only did the Warburtons export their wares to the Eng- 
lish colonies beyond seas, but to many Continental countries, 
to which places Warburton journeyed himself, and as he 
was an accomplished linguist he was able to materially ad- 
vance their foreign business. To such an extent did this 

93 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

business grow that at one time it was said to exceed that 
of the Wedgwood firm. 

It is a matter of fact that while they may have been to a 
certain extent business rivals, the two men were friends, for 
Jacob Warburton was the man chosen by Wedgwood to act 
for him in the case against Neale and Palmer for copying the 
Etruscan vases which were protected by the only copyright 
ever taken out by Wedgwood. The matter was a tedious 
one and occupied Warburton several months, an adjust- 
ment of the difficulty finally being arrived at in London. 

A descendant of the family, Peter Warburton of Lane 
End, took out a patent in 1810 for making lustre ware, 
decorated with " gold, silver, platina or other metals." The 
works were closed in 1825. Any pieces of ware marked 
" Warburton " are rare, and are held in esteem and bring 
good prices. 



94 



JOHN VOYEZ 
CARVER IN IVORY, ENAMELLER, AND POTTER 

J.VOYEZ 

1768-1780 

FEW men have been at once more versatile and more 
unfortunate than this man of mystery, John Voyez. 
Born In France, most of his work was done in 
England, and it is from that country that such 
records of his labours as are extant, come to us. His work 
first assumed importance when he began to model under 
Wedgwood in the year 1768. Wedgwood writes of him, " I 
have hired a modeller for three years, the best I am told in 
London, he has served his time with a silversmith, has worked 
several years at China work, has been two or three years 
carving in wood and marble for Mr. Adam the famous 
architect, is a perfect Master of the Antique stile in orna- 
ments, vases, etc., works with equal facility in Clay, wax, 
wood, or stone." 

His first known work is a glass cameo showing a portrait 
of King George and which gained for him his mastership 
as craftsman. This was about 1766, and showed that even 
at that period he was an expert handler of clay and the pot- 
ter's tools, since by Voyez's admirers this cameo is called the 
forerunner of the material which Wedgwood called jasper. 
There are splendid examples of his skill as an enameller 
decorating such objects as watches and chatelaines, and there 
are ivory carvings, panels, brooches and rings which are so 

95 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

fine and delicate that a microscope is required to bring out 
their exquisite beauty. But these objects are just mentioned 
as showing whence came the skill that made him an object 
of suspicion to Wedgwood, and has led him to come down to 
us as the most successful and unscrupulous imitator of the 
great master potter. 

He worked for Wedgwood for about a year, modelling 
under the master's eye many choice pieces, when his beset- 
ting sin overcame him, and he was riotous, disorderly and 
drunken on the premises of the Wedgwood works, for which 
he was sentenced to be flogged and imprisoned three months. 

It was during this period that he carved in ivory his larg- 
est panel in that material, and called it " Prometheus Ale- 
bound ! " While the work is by no means as fine as many 
pieces which he made later, it shows a good knowledge of 
anatomy and a certain amount of finish. Voyez made many 
of these excursions into ivory carving in the next twenty 
years, and brooches, rings and a few boxes remain to show 
not only his skill and versatility, but his mercurial humour as 
well. 

This design, " Prometheus Ale-bound," Is repeated upon 
the vase shown in Fig. 38. The arms of the figure in the 
design have peeled off from imperfect firing. The vase is 
of basaltes, stands 21 inches high, and is marked on the 
base, " H. Palmer," while the design is signed Voyez and 
dated 1769. This vase is at Holburne Museum, Bath, Eng- 
land. 

Besides these works of art, he left a craft book in a sort 
of letter and figure cypher, which details many of his 
choicest works in ivory and enamel. But it is with his skill 
as a china modeller and decorator that we have the greatest 
interest, and his work was so excellent and his methods so 
dishonest that for years he was a thorn In the side of Wedg- 

96 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

wood, who was constantly on the alert to prevent un- 
scrupulous stealing of his choicest designs and processes. 
The particular field in which Voyez was to be feared was 
in the modelling of the jasper vases which were in such 
demand that the Wedgwood works could not supply them. 
On this subject Wedgwood writes, while Voyez was still 
imprisoned, " I have got the start of my brethren in the 
article of vases further than I did anything else, and it is 
very much the most profitable that I ever launched into. 
It is a pity to lose it by Voyez going to other potters. What 
do our competitors stand most in need of to rival us the 
most effectually? Some person to instruct them to compose 
good forms, and ornament them with tolerable propriety. 
Voyez can do this much more effectually than all the potters 
of the country put together, and without much labour." He 
proposed to pay Voyez his full wages for the three years to 
prevent his working for other potters, but seems to have 
abandoned this idea later. 

It was as Wedgwood feared, for when Voyez came out 
of prison after the three months' incarceration, he joined 
at that time Palmer of Hanley, a potter who could neither 
produce the jasper ware nor fire it promptly. Voyez then 
worked for a time by himself, then in partnership with Hales 
of Cobridge, and from time to time with other potters of 
the Staffordshire region. 

From his designs were made all sorts of jugs and vases, 
some of the latter in jasper ware, and some in Staffordshire 
coloured and decorated with figures of more or less merit. 
Many of these are marked J. Voyez. His work in black 
basaltes is also good, and this too is marked, sometimes in 
connection with the potter who made the clay. 

He modelled many figures of the " Cottage Ornament " 
type and tablets, see Fig. 39, and these were marked also. 

97 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

In fact, he stood high among the Staffordshire potters in 
order of excellence, only Wood and Wedgwood leading him 
in the skill with which he made these figures which were so 
popular. He also made quantities of the small intaglios 
and seals on which Wedgwood prided himself so much, and 
in order to promote their sale, Voyez forged the names 
" Wedgwood and Bentley," which he put at full length 
upon the seals. 

The last appearance of Voyez, at least as an annoyance 
to Wedgwood, was in 1776, when the latter writes to Bent- 
ley as follows: " Voyez has given up making clay intaglios 
and has sold all his goods arid chattels here to go and make 
paste seals in London." 

Chaffers, in his " Marks and Monograms," gives one 
mark of Voyez as late as 1780, but the place and date of his 
death are uncertain. 



98 



HENRY PALMER, JOHN NEALE 

Neale and Palmer 
1769-1776 

Neale & Wilson 
1787 

Neale & Palmer. 
Neale &f Co. 



Henry Palmer 
1 760- 1 769 

Neales & Co. 
1778-1787 



J. Neale 
1776-1778 

Wilson 
1800 





C 

THE names of Palmer and Neale are so almost in- 
extricably mixed, that it is with difficulty that the 
approximate dates of their various partnerships are 
to be unravelled. Palmer's name is given by Bur- 
ton as Henry, and by Rhead Brothers as Humphrey, either 
of which may fit him equally well since he uses only the name 
H. Palmer in the circular mark which stamped his wares 
prior to 1769, when John Neale became his partner. 

Palmer is one of the men who most flagrantly copied 
Wedgwood's wares and designs, sending his wife disguised — 
so the story goes — to buy at the Wedgwood showrooms in 
London the new patterns as they came up from the pot- 
teries at Burslem and Etruria. 

It was Palmer who employed Voyez as a modeller after 
he left the employ of Wedgwood, and Palmer was suffi- 

99 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

ciently unscrupulous to make models of the reliefs on Wedg- 
wood's vases, and use the same on his own wares. 

That he was a skilful potter in some lines his work testi- 
fies, and his black basaltes was of an excellent texture, not 
far behind that of Wedgwood, and, as he used the same de- 
signs, equally artistic. 

Palmer was established at Hanley about 1760, and his 
wife, a daughter of Thomas Heath of Lane Delph, an old 
potter, assisted him in pushing his enterprise. John Neale, 
brother-in-law of Palmer, was taken into partnership about 
1769, and attended to the London end of the business. 

They were not very successful financially, however, and 
Palmer's difficulties were so great that Neale took over the 
business in 1776, and ran it under his own name for two 
years. In 1778 he was joined by Robert Wilson, and the 
firm name became Neale and Co. They continued to work 
under this title from 1778 to 1787, when it was changed to 
Neale and Wilson, becoming finally Wilson, about 1800, 
the son of Robert, known as " C. Wilson," carrying on the 
business. 

The changes which affected the personnel of the firm 
made no difference in their production. They produced fine 
basaltes, in vases, seals and medallions, some of these latter 
being very large in size. 

As soon as the composition of Wedgwood's jasper became 
known through the potteries they seized the formula and 
made much ware, some of it of a very high class, see Figure 
40. Many of their productions are marked, for though 
they were undoubted pirates, they had little hesitation in 
marking their wares with their own names. 

Besides their jaspers and basaltes they made cream-col- 
oured ware, some ornamental pieces of which were marbled, 
decorated with heads, busts, wreaths, etc., and touched up 

100 




Fig. 40. Jaspkr Ware. Neale & Co. Fig. 44. " Wedgwood & Co. 




Fig. 42. Jasper Ware. ^^ARKED Turner. 




Fig. 43. Salad Dish. " Wedgwood & Co." 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

with gilding. Some of the vases of this " granite ware " are 
very handsome in shape, material and ornamentation. Many 
of the vases were ten inches high, not only the granite and 
basaltes ones, but the jasper as well. At the Wills sale, 
1908, a pair of blue and white jasper vases, with handles 
and covers, 10 inches high, subjects of decorations " Char- 
lotte at Tomb of Werther," " A Sacrifice," " Antonia," date 
1 776-1 778, brought $76. While another pair 11 inches 
high, with Shakesperian subjects, brought $260. 

At the same sale, a black basaltes teapot, 5 inches high, 
Palmer & Neale period, with "Justice addressing Peace, 
Labour and Plenty," " Venus and Cupid," " The Bourbon- 
naos Shepherd," copied from Wedgwood designs, brought 

$19- 

A pair of jardinieres, blue and white jasper, decorated with 
portraits of contemporary actors and actresses, 6 inches high, 
mark Neale & Co., 1778-1787, $75- A basaltes sugar bowl, 
decorated with groups of shepherds and shepherdesses, 5 
inches high, Neale & Co., 1780— $30. 

When the pottery came into the hands of the younger 
Wilson his most successful production was a superior red 
stoneware, decorated with figures in black. The mark he 
used is given, and is found on white ware with blue printed 
patterns, the red ware mentioned, and buff ware, with col- 
oured figures. 



lOI 




JOHN TURNER 

1762-1786. SUCCEEDED BY HIS SONS, 1786-1803 

TURNER 

1762— 1786 1786— 1803 

THE student of the pottery of the XVHIth Century 
finds so much to admire and interest, that although 
many of the Staffordshire group followed care- 
fully in one another's footsteps, the results furnish 
an unlimited field for exploration. 

While we call those men who borrowed without scruple 
from Wedgwood " imitators," the conditions under which 
they worked must not be overlooked. Here they were all 
gathered together in a comparatively small district ; the work- 
men passed from one master to another, carrying with them 
methods and formulas; the processes were not protected by 
patents save in isolated instances, and all were eager to em- 
brace the advantages of a constantly increasing market. 

Such men as Jacob Warburton, William Adams and John 
Turner were friends and associates of Wedgwood, and were 
all practical potters constantly engaged in experimenting to 
perfect their products. The two who came nearest to Wedg- 
wood in the excellence of their wares, particularly in the 
jasper and basaltes were William Adams and John Turner. 
In 1762 the latter came to Lane End from Stoke, where 
he had been engaged in the making of stoneware with a man 
named Bankes. After his removal, like the other potters 
his neighbours, he made the usual stoneware and cream-col- 

102 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

oured ^are, and by his discovery that there was fine clay to 
be had at Green Dock, near the Longton cemetery, was able 
to produce a superior body. This Green Dock clay when 
fired had in itself a fine creamy tint, and when to it was 
added the necessary amount of china clay and china stone, 
he was able to produce a stoneware, vitreous and finely 
grained, and ranging through all the tints from cream- 
colour to cane-colour. 

In this material, of which he was by far the most suc- 
cessful maker, he produced bowls, mugs, inkstands, bulb- 
pots and very charming busts and figures which he mounted 
on bases or plinths of black basaltes which threw them out in 
fine relief. His jugs were of exceptional merit, made from 
the same vitreous stoneware, decorated with hunting scenes, 
ships, etc., in relief, the tops and bases engine-turned, or with 
wreaths or ornaments, and with most satisfactory handles, 
firm, good in shape and well placed. The neck and some- 
times a portion of the handle were coated with a dark brown 
glaze, and very rarely one is found with the glaze top of a 
peculiar shade of slate blue. Indeed both Adams and Turner 
used very different shades of blue from those employed by 
Wedgwood, whether intentionally or by accident it is hard 
to determine. 

As Turner's stoneware was his own composition, so was 
the ware he called jasper, which is not at all the same body 
to which Wedgwood gave the same name. Turner's is 
more porcellaneous, very fine in texture and grain. The 
cup and saucer in Figure 41 is a good example of Turner's 
work. The engine-turning on both pieces, the fine border 
and pleasing figures show the excellence of his methods. A 
cup and saucer of similar design, marked "Turner, 1790," 
brought $14 at the sale of the Wills collection of " Old 
Wedgwood." A jardiniere and cover by Turner, also of 

103 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

jasper with classical figures six inches high, date assigned 
1762, sold for $15. 

Another cup and saucer, jasper, with subject, " Cupids 
and dancing Nymph," two inches high, and saucer five and 
three-quarters inches in diameter, brought $26, while a cir- 
cular medallion, jasper, subject " Cupid inflaming the 
Mind," two and one-eighth inches in diameter, brought $18. 
Besides the choice vases, like the one shown in Figure 42, 
Turner produced may small objects which were popular at 
that period, buttons, beads, buckles, brooches, seals, small 
cases for sewing implements, etc., and these were sent to 
Birmingham or Sheffield for mounting. 

John Turner died at the age of forty-eight in the year 
1786. The business was carried on by his sons, John and 
William, and they still further increased the reputation of 
the firm. After they took it in hand they used barytes in 
the composition of the body of their wares, the knowledge 
of the use of it by Wedgwood having by this time become 
common property. This increased the resemblance of their 
wares to his, and they not only made table furnishings, but 
very choice vases in basaltes. While the figures and groups 
may not have been taken directly from designs used by Wedg- 
wood on similar objects, yet the truth is they were so much 
alike as to be easily taken for his. 

A large business had been worked up by the younger 
Turners in France, which was indeed their largest market. 
The French Revolution worked havoc with them, since 
not only did they receive no more orders, but they could 
not collect what was already owing them. William Turner, 
who went to Paris to see what he could save from the wreck, 
was thrown into prison and narrowly escaped the guillotine. 
The business dragged along till 1803, when the moulds and 
patterns were sold out to Adams. 

104 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

In 1800 the brothers had tried to take out a patent for 
a new method of making porcelain, using in it "Tabber- 
ner's Mine Rock," but were not successful. After the fail- 
ure of their business John Turner entered the pottery of 
Thomas Minton at Stoke-on-Trent, and did much to as- 
sist in bringing that firm to its present high position among 
English potters. 

These Turners must not be confused with Thomas Turner 
of Caughley, who made cream-coloured ware and excep- 
tionally fine figures and busts, as well as porcelain, and 
who was the originator of the " willow " and " dragon " 
patterns. 

The marks of the Lane End Turners are given, — though 
many of their specimens are not marked at all. 



105 



"WEDGWOOD & CO." 

1 796-1 800 

•Ur C (? r'^ \^£KC WOOD 85C0 

THERE are to be found in America many specimens 
of earthenware, some of them exceedingly choice, 
which bear the mark " Wedgwood & Co." These 
were made by Ralph Wedgwood, cousin of Josiah, 
and brought up in Burslem, where he worked for a time as 
potter. He seems to have lacked the steadiness of his great 
cousin, for in 1796 we find him at Ferrybridge, associated 
with a potter named Tomlinson, and making the usual 
wares, cream-coloured painted and printed, but not potting 
any of the choicer materials like jasper or basaltes. He 
remained at Ferrybridge only four years, till 1800, and then 
gave up the business of potting to give his whole time to 
perfecting his inventions. 

The tray shown in Figure 43 Is of cream-coloured ware, 
painted with a vine-leaf border. It is nine inches long and 
bears the mark " Wedgwood & Co." impressed. It is not 
such a good piece of potting as the plate in Figure 44, which 
is extremely pretty, with the greyish-green foliage, touched 
with bronzing. In addition to the mark Wedgwood this has 
also " Nonpareil," " Wecow," and the figures 684. It was 
made by the Stockton firm mentioned later. 

I never see the name of Wedgwood & Co. without being 
reminded of an experience of my own, in which my en- 
deavours to satisfy two collectors almost resulted in my 
being crushed between the upper and nether millstones. 

106 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

The remains of a dinner set of fine old Ralph WedgiA'cod 
ware were found by a dealer who asked my assistance in 
disposing of them. The ware was exquisite, almost as light as 
egg-shell china, and the decoration was a conventional border 
in a greyish shade of blue. Four platters, eleven plates, a 
gravy boat and a vegetable dish remained in perfect condi- 
tion ; several of the pieces were marked, and it was certainly 
a very choice " find." Besides the merit of the set there 
were " associations," and these indeed are forces which 
cannot always be reckoned with. At the dealer's request I 
took a plate to a collector whom I knew, who admired the 
china, said he wanted it, and agreed to let the dealer know 
immediately. But being a busy man, he failed to do this 
for several days — and hereby hangs the tale. 

I mentioned " associations." The china had belonged to 
the Schuyler family, whose hospitality in their splendid 
home at Albany in Colonial days had included all the fa- 
mous men and women of the time. The dealer not hearing 
from the collector to whom I had taken the plate, included 
one of the other plates in a box of " antiques," which he was 
sending to New York for another purchaser to inspect. He 
mentioned the Schuylers as being the original owners of the 
" Wedgwood and Co." set, and here the trouble began! 

By return mail came a letter from the New York man 
inclosing a check for the " Wedgwood and Co.," saying he 
wished it as a Christmas present for his wife, as she was a 
Schuyler by descent, and would be so delighted with the set 
which had belonged to her ancestors. 

But in the meantime Collector Number One had re- 
membered to telephone that he would buy the set, and it 
had been sent to him. Possession is nine points of the law, 
certainly — ten points it proved in this case, but not without 
a struggle. The New York collector kept the mails hot with 

107 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

his letters to the dealer, to me and to Collector Number 
One! I was appealed to by both sides, Collector Number 
One wanting it because he liked it, and asking if I thought 
he really ought to give it up, and Collector Number Two 
urging me in view of all circumstances to induce Number 
One to let him have it, offering to pay double price and using 
every argument in his power. You can imagine the amount 
of diplomacy required to satisfy them both and lose the 
friendship of neither. 

Besides this firm composed of Ralph Wedgwood and 
Tomlinson, there was a firm at Stockton, consisting of Wil- 
liam Smith and some others, who signed ware in a fraudu- 
lent manner, leading the unwary to be deceived. They used 
the name but spelled it " Wedgewood," or left out the sec- 
ond " e," putting in its. place a dot, or space, or used the 
name " Wedgwood " and the initials " W. S. & Co." and 
on some of their plates used " Wedgwood & Co." These 
imitators never attempted any of the choicer wares, but made 
much printed ware in various colours, and on common ware. 
Very recently I have come across a beautiful vase in " rosso- 
antico," fine in shape, well potted and having as decoration 
Wedgwood's well-known " Sale of Cupids." The vase was 
one of a pair given as a wedding present about 1850, and 
must have been made after the injunction, for on the bot- 
tom, impressed is the mark " W. S. & Co." 

In 1847 this firm was enjoined by J. Wedgwood and Sons 
of Etruria from using the Wedgwood mark any longer. 
Even these pieces made by the Smith firm have an interest 
to collectors, particularly if one should chance to find some 
of the better class platters or bowls, printed in black or col- 
ours. They hold, however, absolutely no comparison with 
the work of the first " Wedgwood and Co.," or his great 
cousin. 

108 




Fig. 46. Jaspeb Waru. Steel. 




m 




"T T T T T T T r 




Fig. 45- Jasper Ware. J. Lockett. Fig. 47. Cream Ware. John Aynsley. 



J. LOCKETT 

J.LOCKETT. 

THIS pottery was established in 1780 and is still 
carried on. Lockett was another of those Staf- 
fordshire makers actively engaged in making popu- 
lar goods, and among them we find jasper ware. 
His pottery was established about 1780 at Burslem, later 
at Lane End, and must have been considerable in extent, 
for he made stoneware of various kinds, gained quite a repu- 
tation for his figures, and later, about 1802, was known as 
a maker of superior lustre ware. The works are continued 
under the title of J. Lockett and Sons, and they still make 
lustre wares of various kinds. 

The jasper, an example of which we show, is more pleas- 
ing than that put out by some of the other Staffordshire 
makers. The figures are better, the quality of the body is 
smoother and softer, the undercutting brings out the design 
in better relief. It is only necessary to see how admirable 
the ornament is at the top of the teapot shown in Figure 
45 to appreciate what good potting was done by Lockett, 
even if the shape of the teapot is somewhat heavy. This 
specimen is at the British Museum and is larger than many 
of the pots made at that period, being seven and a half 
inches wide and ten inches high. It is slightly unusual 
from the handle being placed on the top instead of at the 
side, and would have been much more attractive if it had 
been placed in the ordinary way. The fact of the nose being 
white is another blemish, but the charming figures and good 
quality of the ware make up for many defects. 

109 



DANIEL STEEL, BURSLEM 

STEEL. 
1 786-1 824 

A NOTHER potter of no very great importance was 

/\ Daniel Steel, who had his works at Burslem. The 

/ % making of jasper or of a material which looked like 

jasper was the product by which he has come down 

to us, and several pieces by him, marked with his name, show 

the character of his work. 

The vase given in Figure 46 is in the British Museum, 
and while pleasing enough in its way, holds no comparison 
with the Wedgwood product, nor indeed with the work of 
such men as Adams, Neale or Turner. The white figures 
show cracks in many places; they are not sharp and clear, 
and the form of his vases are heavy and lacking in both 
grace and elegance. 

There is considerable divergence of opinion as to when 
he commenced his potting, Chaffers giving the date as 1786, 
while the British Museum Guide places it at 1766. The 
former date seems more likely to be the correct one, since 
Wedgwood's experiments with the jasper body did not be- 
gin till 1774, and his final successes, which included not only 
the perfection of the body, but means of firing it, were not 
concluded till three years later. 

Twenty-eight years is sufficient time, however, to put out 
large quantities of pottery, and Steel no doubt contributed 
his share to the large amount which was constantly sent to 
this country. His pottery was closed about 1824, possibly 
absorbed by some of the numerous firms which were con- 
stantly coming into being in that congested region. 

110 



JOHN AYNSLEY 

Aynslty 
Lant/ En^. 

1 790- 1 826 

JOHN AYNSLEY was one of the smaller Stafford- 
shire potters who established his works before the 
death of Josiah Wedgwood and who, while never en- 
croaching to any extent on the higher-grade wares, 
imitated as well as he was able the cream-coloured ware 
which had long been one of Wedgwood's staples. By 1802 
his pottery was at its most flourishing condition, and in Fig- 
ure 47 is given one of his cream-coloured plates such as he 
presented to apprentices when they were about to leave his 
works. 

There are a number of pious inscriptions on the plate 
which is marked Lane End, and the general appearance of 
it is Masonic, owing to the compass. The motto within 
the circle reads, " Keep within compass and you shall be 
sure to avoid many troubles which others endure." 

His work was well done and the printing clear. His 
mark was Aynsley, Lane End. 

A full list of those potters who have copied or imitated 
the wares of the " prince of potters " would include the 
names of many outside of England. Even in Staffordshire 
and its neighbourhood were a number who followed in his 
footsteps in one material^ like Keeling and Toft, Birch, and 

III 



WEDGWOOD AND HIS IMITATORS 

Elijah Mayer, all of whom made excellent black ware, 
similar in shapes (particularly in Useful wares) to those 
made by Wedgwood, and ornamented with the same class 
of figures, festoons, etc., which he used. 

There were many small and insignificant makers who 
copied boldly the cream-coloured ware, and it is impossible 
to give their names, much less examples of their work. The 
chief offenders, if we can call them such, when they made 
ware of excellence and beauty, have been treated of here. 
The marks which they used, if they used any, have been 
given, but there still remain many specimens of all the wares 
like those made at Burslem and Etruria which have no mark 
at all. 

With regard to these, the only thing to be done is to be- 
come familiar with the feeling and appearance of the old 
ware, and then settle for yourself about the period to which 
your specimens should belong, even if you cannot " name " 

them. 

There is ever a fascination in a good piece of old pottery 
which comes under the head of " maker unknown," for it 
always invites speculation ; there is always the chance that 
sometime you may see its duplicate, marked, and there 
clings about it certain mystery which you would not rudely 
tear away. 



112 



INDEX 



Adams, Benj., 88 

"Adams blue," 85 

Adams, Wm., 84-89, 102, no 

Advertisements, 27, 28 

Agate ware, 2, 17, 29, 30, 31, 

40 
Alders, Thomas, 3 
America, 11, 12, 27, 33, 49, 106 
" Ancient Philosophers, Poets, 

Orators," 58 
Angelini, 44 

Antiquarian, So. Concord, 30 
Argand's burner, 21 
Astbury, John, 32 
Astbury, Thomas, 32 90 
Astle, Thomas, 43 
Aynsley, John, in 

Bacon, John, 43, 48, 79 

Baddeley, 7 

Bagnell, Charles, 90 

Bakewell, 48 

Bamboo, 22, 78 

Bankes, 102 

Barberini vase, 15, 16, 43, 60, 

61, 62 
Barker, 25 
Barrett, G., 48 
Barytes, 54, 55, 104 
Basaltes, 7, 9, 15, 17, 21, 22, 42, 

70-77, 86, 90, 100, 103 
Bas-reliefs, 20, 43, 44, 63-70 
Beads, 57 
Bentley, Thomas, 8, 9, 10-14, i8, 

26, 30, 44, 55, 81 
Birch, in 
Birmingham, 4, 7, 9 
" Black ware," 41-53 
" Blue necks," 40 
Boot, 42, 79 

Booth, Enoch, 32, 90, 93 
Borders, 38, 39, 58, 85, 103 



Boston, n 

Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 26 
Bottles, 57 

"Brick House," 7, 8, 13, 84 
British Museum, 58, 61, 63, no 
Bronze Etruscan, 17, 47 
Browne, 48 

Burslem, i, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 19, 
24, 26, 30, 31, 39, 41, 84, 106, 

1X2 

Burton, Wm., 54, 92 
Byerley, Thomas, 14 

Cades, 44 
Cadiz, n 
Cameos, 20, 43, 44, 46, 56, 57, 

58. 95 

Candelabra, 21 

Cane-coloured ware 17, 78 

Catalogues, 20, 22, 23, 45, 46, 
47, 60, 70 

Cateaton St., 9 

Cauliflower ware, 25, 26, 27 

Cawk, 54 

Chaffers " Marks and Mono- 
grams," 98 no 

Champion, 13, 33 

Chelsea, n, 38, 48, 49 

Chemists vessels, 82 

Chimney sets, 45, 49 

China stone, 33 

Christie, 47 

Churchyard Works, 41 

Clays, 6, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35, 54, 
55, 80, 90, 95, 103 

Cliff Bank Pottery, 3 

Clowes, Wm., 90 

Cobridge, 90 

Colonies, 7 

Colours, 54 

Continent, 7, 8, 93 

Cookworthy, 13, 33, 90 



X13 



INDEX 



Cooper, N, 34, 48 

Coward, J., 43 

Cox, Wm., 7 

" Cottage Ornaments," 97 

Cream-coloured ware, 5, 7, 9, 15, 
17, 27, 28, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 
36, 37, 39, 40, 90, 91. 92, 93, 
97, 100, 103, 105, no 

Crewe, Miss, 63 

Crystalline pebbled ware, 17, 30 

Dalmazzoni, a., 43, 44 

Daniel, Ralph, 92 

Dassier, 21 

Delany, Mrs., 34 

Delftware, 5, 17, 28 

Denby, 42, 48 

Devaere, John, 43 

Dinner service, 35, 36 

" Domestic Employments," 63 

Dutch potters, 91 

Earthenware, 85 

East Indies, 33 

* Egyptian Mythology-," 58 

" Egyptian Black Clay," 41 

Elers Bros., 41, 77, 86 

Emperors, 21 

Enamel, 33, 38, 39, 91 

Encaustic ware, 15, 49, 50 

Engine work, 7 

England, 12, 59, 86, 92, 95 

" English Earthenware and 

Stoneware," 54, 92 
Etruria, 4, 11, 14, 19, 42, 43, 

44, 48, 70, 81, 84, 108, 112 
Etruria Hall, 11, 13, 55 
Etruscan, 12, 22, 42, 48, 61, 

94 



" Fabulous Age 

Greeks," 58 
Fairs, 93 

" Family Bible," 9 
Farley, Mrs. J., 86 
Fenton, 3 
Ferrybridge, 106 
Figures, 93 
Firing, 56, 60, 93 



OF 



THE 



Flaxman, J., i6, 43, 44, 45, 

46, 47, 57, 59, 61, 63, 77, 88 
Flower and Root pots, 22 
Fothergill, Dr., 79 
Erankin, B., 12, 13 
France, 33, 95 
Fratoddi, 43 
Frontispiece, 58 

Garner, 25 

Garrick, D., 36 

Gatty, Mr. C. T., 70 

Genoa, u 

Germany, 33 

Glaze, 4, 6, 24, 25, 26, 32, 77, 

90, 91 
Glover, Thomas, 48 
Gold, 93 
Gosset, I., 43 
Grand Trunk Canal, 6 
Greatbach, William, 6, 7, 25, 

32 
" Greek and Roman Mythology," 

58 
Greek St., ii, 34, 49 
Green Dock, 103 
Green Gates, 84 
" Green Ware," 4, 5, 17, 24, 

25, 26 
Griffiths, 35 

Hackwood, Wm., 12, 42, 45, 6z 
Hanley, 7, 12, 48, 100 
Handles, 42, 87, 103 
" Handbook of Wedgwood 

Ware," 57 
Hamburg, 11 

Hamilton, Sir Wm., 58, 59, 61 
Harrison, John, 3 
" Heads of Illustrious Romans," 

21 
" Heads of the Popes," 21 
Heath, Thomas, 100 
Hollins, Sam'l, 90 
Holland, 33, 49 
Homeric vases, 59 
Hoskins and Grant, 43 
Hot Lane, 91, 92, 93 
Hutchins, 48 



114 



INDEX 



" Illustrious Moderns," 13, 

21, 45, 58, 70, 71, 76 
Inkstands, 22 

Intaglios, 15, 20, 46, 57, 70 
Italy, 8, 43, 49 
Ivory ware, 33 
" Ivy House," 5 

Jasper, 7, 13, 15, 17, 21, 22, 54- 
76, 77, 85, 88, 100, 103, 109, 
no 

"Jasper dip," 55 

Kaufman, Angelica, 86, 87 

Keeling, Anthony, 90 

Keeling and Toft, 11 1 

" Kings and Queens of Eng- 
land," 21 

" Kings and Queens of France," 
21 

" La Grenouilliere," 34 

Lamps, 21 

Landre, Mrs., 42, 43, 63 

Lane Delph, 32, loo 

Lane End, 35, 94, 102 

Lathe, 7 

Le Brun, 48 

Leeds, 40 

Leg amputated, 10 

Leghorn, 11 

Leipsic, 11 

Liverpool, 7, 8, 9 

Lochee, 43 

Lockett, J., 109 

London, 7, 9, 10, 27, 34, 49, 

94, 99, 100 
Lustre ware, 15, 79-81 

Manzolini, 44 

Mangiarotti, 43 

Marbled ware, 9, 29, 30, 31 

Marks, 80, 81, 83, 87, 88, 89, 

94, 96, 98, 100, loi, 105, 106, 

108, III 
" Masks, Chimaeras, etc.," 58 
Materials, 17 
Mayer, 29 
Medallions 9, 20, 21, 45, 46, 

63-70 



Medals, 21 

Metallic oxides, 54 

Meteyard, Miss, 35, 37, 41, 55, 

57 
Minton, Thos., 105 
" Miscellaneous," 58 
Monglott, J., 87, 88 
Mortars, 22, 82 
Mottled ware, x-j, 29, 30, 31, 

41 
Moulds, 30, 56, 58, 60, 62, 70 
Mountings, 56, 57, 88. 

Naples, 11. 

Narva, 11. 

Neale, J., 99-101, no. 

Neale and Palmer, 48, 99-101. 

New England, 27. 

Newfield, 85. 

Newport St., 10. 

New York, ii. 

Niccolo, 46. 

"Old Wedgwood," 58 
Oriental ware, 5. 
"Ornamental wares," 10, 16, 18, 
19, 20, 43, 44, 56, 88. 

Pacetti, 43, 87. 

Palmer, H., 12, 99-101. 

Parker, R., 43. 

Parker, T., 42. 

Patent, 11, 48. 

Patterns, 37, 

Peart, 43. 

Pearl white ware, 17, 79-81. 

" Period of Perfection," 87. 

" Pickle leaves," 26. 

" Pierced and gilt," 37. 

Pingo, 43. 

Pitcher moulds, 15, 56. 

Plinths, 46. 

Porcelain, 13, 33, 41, 54. 

Portland, Duke of, 62. 

Portland, Duchess of, 61. 

"Portland House," 11, 34. 

" Potteries, The," 41, 77, 91. 

" Punched work," 37, 39, 40. 



"5 



INDEX 



Queen Catherine, 33, 34 
Queen Charlotte, 32, 80. 
" Queen's ware," 32, 33, 35, 36. 

Randle, 7, 

Ratisbon, ii. 

Red-ware, 7 

Revel, II. 

" Resist ware," 80. 

Rhead Bros., 99. 

Rhodes, Mr., 48. 

Riga, II. 

Rome, 43, 44. 

" Roman History," 58. 

Rosso-Antico, 17, 77. 

Roubiliac, L. F., 48. 

Russian service, 34. 

S. W. & Co., 108. 

" Sacrifices," 58. 

Sadler and Green, 7, 36, 38. 

Salt Glaze ware, 91. 

Sanderson, Mr. A., 61. 

St. Martin's Lane, 10, ii. 

St. Petersburg, 11. 

St. Stephens, 35. 

Screws, 50. 

Shaftesbury, Lord, 61. 

Shaw's " Hist, of the Staff Pot- 
teries," 32. 

Shells, 80. 

Sibson, Dr., 59. 

" Silvered ware," 79, 80. 

Simcock, 48. 

Smith, Wm., 108. 

" So. for Abolition of Slavery," 
12. 

" Solid Agate," 31. 

" Sovereigns of Macedonia," 58. 

Spain, 33. 

Spode, J., 25. 

"Sprigging," 56. 

Staffordshire, 8, 13, 40, 41, 80, 
90, 97, no. 

Steele, A., 48. 

Steel, D., no. 

Stephan, P., 43. 

Stockton, 106, 108. 

Stoke, 102. 



Stoneware, 5, 7, 17, 28, 102, 

103, 
" Surface Agate," 31. 

Tablets, 20, 22, 49, 59, 60, 61, 

63-70. 
Taylor, C, 48. 
Tassie, J., 43, 57. 
Tea, 27, 86, 87. 
Tea and Coffee services, 19, 20, 

22, 26, 27, 28, 37. 
Tea caddies, 25, 40. 
Templetown, Lqdy, 43, 63. 
Terra-cotta, 70. 
" Terrines," 2 

"The Old China Book," 30. 
" Thumb moulds," 56. 
Tiles, 41. 

Tomlinson, 106-108. 
Tortoise-shell ware, 2. 
Transfer printing, 7. 
Turin, 11. 
Turner, J., 29, 35, 88, 90, 102- 

105, no. 
Turner, J. and W., 104. 
" Twigged work," 39. 

Undercutting, 46. 
Unwin, Ralph, 48. 
" Useful wares," 10, 14, 18, 19, 
20, 40, 41, 42, 44, 88, 112. 

Valencia, ii. 

Vases, 22, 40, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 

58, 59, 62, 85, 87, 96 
Venice, n. 
Versailles, n. 
Voyez, J., 42, 95-98, 100. 

Warburton, J., 90, 91, 92, 93, 

94, ro2. 
Warburtons, The, 29, 33, 90- 

94- 
Warehouse, 10. 
" War of Troy," 58. 
Washington, G., 13. 
Watson, Edw., 43. 
Webber, H., 15, 43, 62. 



Z16 



INDEX 



"Wedgwood and Co.," io6- 

io8. 
" Wedgwood and Bentley," 12, 

18, 20, 22, 47, 98. 
Wedgwood, Josiah, 1-16. 
Wedgwood, Ralph, 106, 108. 
Wedgwood, Sarah, 7, lo, 13. 
Wedgwood, Thomas and Mary, 

I. 
Wedgwood, Thomas, (cousin), 

5, 10, 14, 18. 
Westmacott, 43. 



Whieldon, Thomas, 3, 4, 5, 24, 

25, 29. 
White ware, 17. 
Wilcox, Mr. and Mrs., 48. 
Will's sale, 45, 47, 57, 59, 60, 

86, 88, loi, 103, 104. 
Wilson, C, 100. 
Wilson, R., 100. 
Wood, A., 25. 
Wood, Wra., 62. 
Wyatt, 43. 



117 



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